Take Two
by kateofallpeople
Summary: No seer could predict that Draco would be a ridiculously famous muggle actor. Or that he'd find himself in the company of Hermione. Flashbulbs are going off, and we all know the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words. Part two, "Take Three" up now!
1. Chapter 1

**PART ONE**

**AN: Well, here it is! As promised, the first chapter of Take Two! A little summary beforehand : The war ended six years ago. At twenty three, Draco Malfoy has already divorced his snivelling ex-wife Astoria and has moved his way out of the Wizarding world, where he is treated as somewhat of an outcast, to the Muggle world, where his dashing good looks are all that matters - seeing that he's the most famous actor in London! - Hermione Granger is also twenty three, and dealing with a messy divorce from the youngest male Weasley after she found him with another witch. She works as a medical specialist, and is sent to London for three weeks to treat a patient with a bad case of Spattergroit. After a chance meeting, Hermione and Draco have to become a public couple - for him to save his Muggle reputation, and for her to save hers as a Witch... A sneaky little villain comes into the picture towards the end, causing quite a commotion for our heroes - but will it tear them apart and ruin their facade, or bring them even closer together? This first chapter is quite lengthy, as it has quite a bit of background information before the actual story starts. Please enjoy!**

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_**Dash Collins, Not Seen for Weeks!**_

_London's Bad Boy Disappears!_

**Blonde Heartthrob on the Run? **

_Twenty-Three year old Dash Collins has been out of the paparazzi flash, but not on purpose! In fact,_ _"_The Lady Killers_"_ _remake star hasn't been seen in weeks! Reporters around the city and around Dash's hometown have been desperately milling around, attempting to catch a glimpse of the man everyone would like to see. Sources close to me say that he may be hiding due to a bad divorce from now ex-wife Astoria Collins (now back to Greengrass). "Divorce is always heartbreaking," one insider said, "And to lose such a beautiful wife you were with, even for just three years..._"

Draco threw the paper down on his desk in disgust. He'd always read the ridiculous tabloid articles about him - Was Astoria cheating? - Was _he_ seeing someone else? - Was Draco Malfoy a Felon? - but he'd expect that maybe they could leave him alone if he ducked out of sight for a little while. Apparently, the opposite had happened.

He and Astoria had been married for three long, agonizing years. He'd married her because she was pureblood, and as a young man still influenced by his family, her blood status and good looks were enough. They were married at 20. On their third anniversary, just a month before, she'd caused such a scene in a local restaurant - over something as petty as a water spot on the side of her plate - that even _he _had gotten kicked out. Draco Malfoy! He grunted. Just thinking about her and her little fits got him in a bad mood. She was a money-grubbing waste of brain cells, as she didn't use any of her own, and he finally called it quits the day after their anniversary. For a day or two, everything seemed quiet, but then Astoria came up with some rubbish about him seeing some squealing, too-young blonde pop star that Draco wouldn't touch with a fifty foot pole - even after several glasses of firewhiskey. He rubbed his temples. This had been quite a ride.

After their marriage, Draco and Astoria moved deep into the heart of bustling Muggle London. They rented a flat in the city, and Astoria did nothing while Draco drove a taxi. On that pay, they couldn't afford to live in the tiniest of places. But - they'd struck lucky. A passenger one day asked Malfoy if he'd like to show his smile and act in a commercial for toothpaste - the rest was history. He quickly adopted a Muggle personality, Dash Collins. Astoria had picked out the name, which he'd thought was terribly cheesy, but his stage name was unimportant at the time. Three months later, he'd gotten a spot on a television show, and two months after that, he'd landed his first role in a movie. And his second movie? He was the star, and it was a national success. They quickly moved out of the very tiny flat into a very large flat in a very glamorous, posh part of town. They attended his premieres, and galas, and she would come on set with him sometimes. They were always together. Draco was not saying that every second was terrible, they'd had a few bearable days where they might have actually had a good time at some event or another. But as soon as he turned down a movie to wait for a better script, she changed. She flipped over the money, and the events, and all of the pointless things he rarely cared about anyway. Then the tantrums started. He dealt with it for almost another 7 months. Then, he couldn't take it anymore. He filed for divorce. Astoria - screaming and crying - took everything she could get her hands on and left within days. He did not care. It was not, per se, that he was not a caring individual. In fact, since the war had ended, he had lost almost any sense of bitterness or and bad quality he might have had during the war or before. He was a changed man, and yet he had had to deal with the same woman for too long a time. Just after she left, she called a press conference to say that Draco had been cheating on her. Of course, she had no evidence, and there were few who believed her, but it was a serious hit on his reputation anyway. Bad Boy. Cheater. Two timer. Liar. He'd been called many things in his career, none so bad as he'd been called after the war. But a cheater, he was not. He would prove that, soon enough. Somehow.

He was not sure if Astoria had cheated on him. He had never been with another woman in the entire three years. And no, he was certainly not a felon. But yes, Draco Malfoy was definitely on the run. Until tomorrow, at least. Tomorrow, he would face the flashbulbs and head out into the limelight. Take Two.

* * *

Hermione Granger stood in line at the checkout in a Muggle grocer. She'd just been to see her parents to break the news, and found that she was going to need quite a few more boxes of tissues. She'd been married to Ron since they were 18 - less than a year, in fact, after the war ended. They'd been blissfully happy for six years. They'd moved into their own house in the suburbs of Ottery St. Catchpole, just a short walk from the Burrow. Her own parents were not terribly far away. Hermione - being a healer - had been the one to pay for most of the house. Ron, just out of his last year of Auror training - was just starting to make money - and make more of a name for himself. He was promoted to Head of the Auror office, then promoted even far enough to have his own department, The Department of Auror-Ministry Relations. He got his own office, his own secretary, and ten of his own staff, and Harry had even replaced him as Head Auror, so they were close in contact at all times. Their job was to stamp out the last of the Death Eaters and anyone else who might try to take Voldemort's place, keeping the Wizarding - and Muggle world - safe from evil. His own personal job was to go on these jobs, then return back to the Ministry and have a full hearing on the results and the captured perpetraitors. Hermione smiled as she remembered that last part, it was in the little speech he'd given her the day after the promotion to his own department, just a few months ago. "Safe from evil." She whispered to herself. Sadly though, Ron could not keep safe from himself and his own selfish desires.

Two weeks ago, it had all happened. He'd owled her around 8, saying sorry he was so late, he'd gotten stuck doing paperwork. He'd be home in an hour. She'd put on her sexiest lingerie - and he'd bought her quite a bit after his last promotion - and gussied up to see him. Suddenly, she'd gotten a stroke of brilliance - she would go see him, at work. Now. She flooed straight to the Ministry, took the elevator up, and knocked. No answer. After another minute of knocking. She heard a slight rustle and a murmur of a voice inside. "_Alohamora."_ She grinned when she remembered showing this simple incantation to Ron and Harry in their first year. However, her face fell when she saw her husband, banging his secretary - her busty frame bent over his work desk. "Hermione! I can explain!" Her features went cold. "No need. I can see perfectly well all by myself, thank you." She owled him the next day telling him to pick up his things. She'd explain to her parents, in time, and he'd have to explain to everyone else. He nodded and collected his things, crying as he left.

She had come from her parents home that morning, explaining what had happened and that she'd be gone on a special work job for at least three weeks. A young girl in London had become seriously ill with Spattergroit. St Mungos had sent her on the job not only because she was already the most qualified and talented Healer on staff - but because she was the one who most needed the time away. She laughed as she realized that it was nearly 7 - Weasley family and friends would be gathering at the table, and Ron would have to explain why they'd missed last week, and why Hermione was gone now, too. Because they were getting a divorce. Because he - an honorable, brave, trustworthy Gryffindor - had cheated on his wife. And gotten caught. A few heads turned to look at the petite yet sexy young woman who appeared to be laughing at nothing at all. She did not care. When she was done here, she'd be checking into her posh, upper class hotel in the city. She'd enjoy a nice dinner and then maybe go to the cinema or order a movie in her room. Before she could relax, however, she had an unexpected meeting in her future.

* * *

Draco decided to go for a walk. He could not, of course, take his normal car or go outside looking like his normal self. Instead, he picked up his wand. He smoothed out his chisled chin, darkened his hair, and made one of his teeth slightly crooked. Perfect. Anyone he might choose to talk to would be able to tell that it was him after a moment, but the paparazzi would not recognize him without his platinum blonde hair and square jaw. He'd picked this Muggle look from a waiter at a gala that had poured wine for Astoria. He was charming, in a lowkey sort of way that could get him in and out of places, and get him what he needed, without attracting too much attention. The one thing he never touched, however, were his eyes. The baby blues could get him a secret exit somewhere from any unsuspecting female, muggle or magical. He threw on jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt before heading out into the balmy London summer night. He walked quickly, with his head down. He might just be any other muggle heading out of the building. He saw three people standing just outside with cameras, but they paid him little to no attention after seeing his chesnut colored hair. He turned right at the first corner and continued on for a few blocks. He took a taxi another ten blocks west, to the edge of the upscale neighborhood. He finally got out when he saw a muggle grocery. "Wait here. I'll only be a few minutes." The driver nodded and Draco continued inside. The store was fairly packed, but he only needed to head to the express lane. He grabbed a bottle of orange juice, (longing silently for a nice glass of pumpkin) a pack of gum, and another muggle tabloid, one that didn't have his own face plastered across the front. It might be nice to hear about others, for a change. He got in line and was followed quickly by a woman with a cart with two jugs of juice and ten boxes of tissues. Her items totalled over ten, the limit for the line, but he decided that nobody with that many boxes of tissues needed to be chastised for an item limit. He heard her laugh and he turned slightly to see her, and saw that she was somewhat short, with soft chesnut waves similar to his own fake shade, and perfect pale skin. He did not see her face, before she turned to pick up a mid-range, black and white tabloid - one with his own face on it. He rolled his eyes slightly. The man in front of him stepped forward. Draco took his step, and the woman behind him took two. The rail on the bottom of her cart hit the bony part of his ankle, causing him to call out, quietly. "Ah, Damn. Watch..."

The woman behind him had lifted her head to see who she had hit. She hadn't been paying much attention, instead grabbing a magazine off the rack. The man on the front looked oddly familiar. "Dash Collins." she'd said to herself. "Not so bad looking... wish I'd found him instead of Ron finding his secretary." A second later, she'd moved forward and run into something. Looking up at the man in front of her, there was something oddly familiar about _him_ as well. He was tall, and slightly muscular. His shaggy brown hair wasn't usual, and the chin looked slightly out of place, as if it belonged on someone else's face. Her eyes covered his dark bit of stubble on his cheeks, to high, pointed cheekbones. In the next second though, her heart stopped. She lifted the magazine again, and suddenly she knew where she'd seen the blonde man on the cover. He was standing right in front of her. And his name wasn't Dash Collins. Those piercing blue eyes could only belong to one man, one who she had hated in her childhood but had not seen or heard of since the war. This was Draco Malfoy.

"Draco?"

He looked around. "Yes. I can be Draco. But I can't be who else I am." The statement sounded strange even as he said it, but he knew he had to keep quiet.

"What are you doing here? I mean... you disappeared after the war, no one saw you for years, is that really you?"

"Yes. I've... changed my appearance slightly. Because... I like it better."

She eyed him carefully. "I'm not sure I get where you're coming from, 'Das-'"

"No!" he shot, though quietly. "Please no." he bent to whisper in her ear. "As you can see, I've disappeared, and I plan to keep it that way until tomorrow."

She nodded. "I see. Well then, this is a strange little encounter after all." She smiled up at him. "Though not entirely unpleasant. I must say, you seem to have changed quite a bit since I've last seen you."

"More than you know."

"I see you and Ast- err, your wife have divorced."

"Ah. Yes. And I'm glad to be rid of her. I'd love to tell you the story, actually. You don't look so bad yourself. But I have to get out of here, quickly."

He placed his items on the counter and pulled out his wallet. He put hers on the counter as well. "I see you've been having... not a great time."

"And I'd love to tell you about that as well. Sort of. But as you said, you have to go..." her voice immediately cooled and she looked away as he paid for her tissues and juice. He was astounded. She looked magnificent, so much different in the past few years...

"Oh, wait a second." She grabbed the receipt from the register before even the checkout girl had a chance to. She scribbed down her cell number and her hotel room phone number. "Call me. We'll have dinner soon or something. You can... change your looks again, if you'd like." She picked her words carefully around the teenage girl that might have recognized him in a heartbeat.

He smiled, tucking the paper in his pocket. He backed away while she grabbed her bags. "Will do. Most definitely. And Hermione? It was nice seeing you. Really nice."

Jumping back in the taxi, he shook his head. He'd been unusually kind to Granger, and yet instead of feeling disgusted as the young Draco might have, he felt hopeful. He pulled the receipt out of his pocket. She'd signed her name with a perfume scented pen, and he breathed in the soft, flowery scent he'd picked up on her in the grocery. Sticking it back in his pocket, Draco had no doubts that he would be calling Hermione that very night.

* * *

Hermione packed her things into her rented car and drove back to the hotel. She did indeed have a nice dinner, though solo, and retreated back to her room to watch a movie. She poured herself some juice, set her magazine on the table, and pulled out a box of tissues, in case she suddenly needed them. To her horror, the only movies on for free were romances. Facing her fears, she stopped on one of the channels and began watching. Soon, however, the image of her freckle-faced ex-husband disappeared. She found herself moving on much easier than she thought. Maybe it was being bitter, maybe it was being strong. There were a few moments where she teared up - the first I love you, the proposal, the inevitable fight, and then the passionate make-up kiss that she and Ron would never have - and her tissues were right beside her, helping her along. The credits started to roll, and almost on cue, her phone rang. Unknown number. She flipped it open. "H-Hello?"

"Ah. Hermione. Needed those tissues after all. Terribly sorry."

"Oh, Malfoy. It's you. Already? I only said call soon."

"Come on now, I called you Hermione."

"Fine, Draco. Hello."

"Hello yourself. Look, I meant what I said about it being nice to see you. Besides Astoria, and Blaise of course, I haven't had contact with any magical people in years. And of all people, it might actually be nice to see you."

"Thanks, I guess that was a compliment."

"You're welcome. You should take it as such."

"It is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Touche. But let me make it up to you. I'll be re-appearing tomorrow, so how about I take you out to Dinner? My treat. We'll go to a private little place, I can get us a back booth, we can catch up and chat. How long are you in town?"

"Three weeks. And actually, that sounds wonderful. I didn't think I'd know anyone here."

"And you met me."

"It's not that bad, actually."

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment."

She smiled. He was mocking her. "You're welcome. You should take it as such." Two could play at that game.

"I'm zero for two, Hermione, your game has improved over the years. Though I can't say you don't pack a mean punch, don't think I've forgotten that from third year."

"I've never forgotten either. I'll see you tomorrow then?" She gave him the address to her hotel.

"Nice. St Mungo's must be paying a pretty penny for your accomodations. I'll pick you up at 8. Dress nice."

"I'll see you then. Goodnight, Draco."

"'Night, 'Mione." They hung up.

Hermione stared at her phone for a full minute before setting it down. She looked at the magazine, read the article on Draco's muggle persona, and set it back down. After a moment, she began laughing so hard her stomach hurt and her eyes water. Nobody was around to gawk at her, and yet nobody else was around to know that she - Hermione Granger - was going to dinner with Draco Malfoy the following night. This could be a very interesting three weeks after all.

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**AN: See, sorry, the other chapters will be slightly shorter than this. I expect twenty or thirty chapters though, so it should be a good length story! I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be up tomorrow, if not the next day, along with the first chapter of my next Dramione, which is also Harry/Luna, titled The Eighth Year. Please read my other stories and review, I always love feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Woo! Here I am. I've just finished a particularly long chapter of another story, What Might Have Been, a bit of a darker story but definitely worth reading, in my opinion. I still can't believe A Very Merry Christmas is over, it's sad and shocking but I really had a lot of fun with it. Sadly, I will not be writing a sequel, because I feel like I've left it in a good place. HOWEVER. I'm going to be writing plenty of more upbeat Dramione's during the school years in the future! I'm starting The Eighth Year soon, and that's going to be a lot of sneaky goodness, possibly a bit of mild lemon, things will be good! And quite funny, as well. Alright. Enjoy this next chapter of Take Two!**

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**"How long has the Spattergroit been set in?" Hermione's words were muffled by the mask she wore over her face to keep her from catching the illness.

"About three days, but it hasn't let up and she hasn't been able to talk since the first onset. It came very quickly."

The girl was obviously around normal size before she'd gotten sick. She was adorable, Hermione could tell even through the large purple sores that she had rosy cheeks, olive skin, and she had straight, shiny dark hair.

"I see. Well, can she swallow anything?"

"Yes, she'd just taken some fever pills this morning."

"Alright. I'm going to leave you with this bottle, then. The pills have been charmed to be twice as strong and twice as fast. She may be a bit groggy, but she should be able to talk in a day or two. And she should be cured in three weeks or so."

She took a few notes and then packed her things back in her bag.

"Thank you, so much Dr. Granger."

Every time she heard the title, she smiled. She directed it at the now relieved looking parents. "You're welcome. It's what I've come into the business for. I'll see you in two days, then."

The couple showed her out and Hermione glanced at her watch. Perfect. It was only 2. She'd have plenty of time to have lunch, enjoy the city for a few hours, and find something nice to wear to dinner tonight before heading back to get ready. She gave a little laugh when she remembered exactly who it was she'd be seeing. Draco Malfoy. Hmm. She walked through the streets until she found herself nearing a newsstand.

"Dash Collins, seen leaving his flat this morning! Dash is back! Read here! Instant press!" She paid her muggle money to the young man in the booth and grabbed the small booklet. It was obviously a quick print, with only a few other small articles posted besides Draco/Dash's reappearance. She laughed. He'd done it after all. He was walking confidently from the front doors of his building, face back to normal, waving to the cameras flashing around him. He'd returned, and London could not be happier. She stashed the magazine in her purse and continued on to a nice cafe she'd seen on her way to the grocery the night before. She sat down and had a nice sandwich and coffee, reading the article that accompanied the picture of tonights dinner date. _Wait. _She stopped herself. _Dinner... friend. This is not a date. Friend. Barely even that. I haven't seen him since... oh bollocks._ She shook her head and finished, paying for her meal. Sure, she and Draco hadn't gotten along in the past, but they were children then. Now, she could get along with him just fine. And if that meant dressing up and having a nice dinner with him, then so be it. She tried a few little boutiques and found nothing. Finally moving on to a large department store, she ambled around until she found the dresses. Most, because of the weather, were sundresses, but she found a nice selection of nicer things in the back. She sorted through racks of things that were much to formal, floor length, until at last she found a nice selection of shorter things - much shorter things.

While she tried them on, Hermione mentally tracked her progression over the past few years. During her younger years, she'd covered as much skin as possible. She'd worn that gown to the Yule Ball her fourth year, and her wedding gown of course. She'd worn a number of dresses to events with Ron, and he'd always made her feel beautiful. She smiled. If there was one thing Ron had given her out of all those years, it had been self confidence.

She tried a blue one, but it didn't go quite right. A gold one was too simple. She tried on a third one and smiled. She'd found something that would make Ron Weasley stop dead in his tracks if he ever saw her. And she thought it was absolutely perfect for the occasion.

She paid for the dress - the number was a bit high, but on healers pay, and with only having to pay for herself nowadays, it was worth it - and continued around the store. Why stop at a dress? She bought gold stilettos that made her legs look miles long, and a pair of delicate gold and diamond drop earrings. After that, she was hooked. This was retail therapy, and she quite liked it. She got her hair cut and styled new. She bought a new evening bag for the night, a gold chain over a small black leather bag. She even bought some new perfume - a spicy, smoky scent that instantly reminded her of sex, which made her blush and yet purchase it right away. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it right. She bought a complete new setof makeup. After four hours in the store, she realized it was time to leave. She had to go back to her hotel and get ready for Draco. She smirked while she walked, absolutely satisfied for the first time in a while.

* * *

She showered, scrubbed, plucked, and moisturized. She hadn't had to look this good for a man in, well, ever. It wasn't necessarily that she was doing this for Draco, of course. She was doing this for herself. She was doing this to feel good. She slipped on the new dress, which hit just above mid-thight. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline and a very fitted shape all the way down to the bottom. The satin was decorated with a thin scroll pattern outline from top to bottom in gold, and the stitching was all in gold as well. It was nice, but not too nice, and a little more of her own style. She put her hair up in a loose french twist. She was glad she'd gotten a bit of a tan in the past few months - well, more tan than she'd usually been. She secured a necklace around her neck and earrings in her ears. She put on her shoes and did her makeup, a smokey eye and nude lip, with just a hint of rosy blush. She felt satisfied with the transformation and waited.

There was a knock on the door precisely at 8. Draco had called her earlier, asked her room number, and told her to be ready at the time. She was. She made a few last adjustments and spritzed on her new perfume, a few sprays from head to knees.

* * *

Draco was astounded. He knew she'd clean up nice, he'd seen her at the Yule Ball all those years ago, but he was not expecting the leggy vixen who emerged from the door in front of him. She'd made a complete three-sixty from yesterday.

"'Mione... you look..." He couldn't even finish his sentence. He was transfixed on every curve where the dress hugged her, on every detail and bat of her long lashes.

"Draco Malfoy, I've never known you to be at a loss for words." She smirked, putting one hand on her hip.

"I... I've never known it of myself, either. Wow. Hermione. You are absolutely mesmerizing."

She flushed slightly. She hadn't been expecting anything like that. "Well thank you. Now, 'Dash Collins', what do you say we head out of here? Let me just grab my bag..."

He couldn't even respond. As she disappeared inside once more, he felt blood pulsing through him, he heard his heart pounding all the way up in his ears. He shook his head, steadying himself. _Keep it together, Malfoy. Snap out of it._

She returned again, and the pair set out. She rolled her eyes when she saw that he'd bought an expensive luxury sedan. "What, no sports car?"

"This isn't as recognizable. But we still might attract some attention. They know me too well."

At the restaurant, which was settled in the busiest section of the city, there was a line out the door. He whistled low, pulling them around to the back and taking out a cell phone. "Desiree? Yes of course, it's Draco. I'm with a friend, out back. Can you get us that table in the corner? Thanks love." he ended the call and put the phone in his pocket. "Come on. I've got it taken care of." She rolled her eyes and he opened her door, putting his hand on the small of her back. He lead her into a dark corner of the high-ceilinged room and slid into one side of the booth, facing the back wall. She started to sit opposite him, but he shook his head and pulled her over to his side.

"Trust me. If the paparazzi find us in here, your face will be all over tomorrow's papers. Sit right here. And also, remember. Here, I'm Dash Collins." She obliged and slid in against him. The heat from her body reached him. They were helped almost immediately by an over-eager young woman who looked as if she might pass out at any second. "G-good evening. I'm Desiree. I'll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with anything?" She cleared her throat. Draco laughed and turned to Hermione. "Do you have any food allergies? Anything you don't like? I know what's the best here..." She shook her head and he ordered for the both of them, she ordered herself a dry martini, two olives. He raised his eyebrows as the waitress left. "Hermione Granger? You actually drink?"

"I do, thank you very much. I have since I was legal to, sorry for the surprise." She smirked, there was _so_ much about her that he didn't know.

"Well, well. Little Hermione's grown up." He grinned as he realized he'd meant it in more ways than one. When drinks came, she stabbed an olive out of her glass and pulled it out. She seemed to contemplate the small object for a moment. Draco watched her intently, curious. She touched it to her lips before sliding it slowly into her mouth. He could feel his heart racing and his blood pulsing for a second time that night. He found it funny for only a moment that she could cause this kind of reaction in him by simply eating an olive, but the thought was quickly extinguished when she closed her eyes and made an 'Mmm' sound that he felt reverberate through their touching arms. He turned away quickly, drawing in a breath to calm himself. _Draco. Again? Already? Calm yourself. Now. Don't make this weird. _He shook his head, and when he looked back at her she was simply taking a sip from the glass. He let out a breath and their server arrived with their meal. "Enjoy." Draco smirked to himself. That was one thing he could do with this - enjoy it. In the hum of the restaurant, Draco turned to Hermione to speak into her ear exactly what was what. She giggled slightly when he made a joke about the name of an entree.

The night continued on, and both were surprised to have more fun together than they'd bargained for. Draco still was curious about his earlier feelings, and Hermione was surprised that she could feel so good in his company. After Dinner, he drove her back to her Hotel. On the way, she let down her hair, and it fell in waves around her shoulders. He breathed in an absolutely intoxicating scent, shaking his head to calm himself again. "I'd take you to see a film, but we're a little overdressed. And I think I'm in whatever's playing at the moment." They both laughed. "But I'd really like to see you again. You said you're in town for three weeks, and I don't have anything to do for a few days until a gala..." ideas stirred in his head, he immediately squashed them.

She looked up at him, pleased with his wishes to make further plans. "How about tomorrow?"

He smiled. She didn't waste any time, did she? "Tomorrow sounds great. A little soon, but fantastic. I'll plan something up. I'll give you a call in the morning?"

"Works for me. Thank you, 'Dash', for tonight."

"My pleasure." He walked her up to her room, and after she opened her door, they leaned in for a slightly awkward hug, laughing_. Yes_, Hermione thought_. I think I'll enjoy my stay in London very much_.

* * *

In the morning, Draco went for a run. Under his normal disguise, he headed to the same muggle grocer he'd just been in two nights ago, when he'd first ran into Hermione. He picked up another jug of juice and walked to the register to grab a newspaper and pay. What he saw, though, shocked him and scared him slightly. Coming from the face of every major tabloid magazine was an identical photo. The photo was of a couple in a dimly lit, swanky restaurant in the city. He recognized it immediately because he had been there quite recently. In the picture were two young people sitting on one bench in a booth. On the right was a light haired man, tall in stature, leaning down and over slightly to whisper. On the left was the woman he was whispering to - a gorgeous brunette in a purple dress. Draco's breath caught in his throat as he threw one of the magazines on the counter with his other purchases. On the way home, he wondered who had been in the restaurant that night, and who had managed to take an awfully cozy looking photograph of himself and Hermione Granger.

* * *

**AN: Whew, done with chapter two! I hope you're enjoying it so far! I know it's a bit of a far-fetched idea, but that's kind of the point. It's probably not like any stories you've read before, I know it's nothing like I've ever seen, and that's why I'm writing it, because it's unique and is going to prove to be funny, and sexy, and very full of Dramione goodness! Anyway, please review, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up tomorrow! **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Woo! Slight cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter, haha I didn't want it to go on forever. Here goes Chapter Three! Enjoy! **

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* * *

**Her phone rang at 8.

"Merlins beard it is much to early, who in the blazes is calling me at this hour..." She flipped open her cell to see the name Draco Malfoy blaring at her across the screen.

"Hello?"

"We have a problem."

"Excuse me?"

"We were spotted, last night at the restaurant. There's a picture of us together on the cover of every major muggle tabloid. Go pick something up. Change your appearance slightly. Actually, I'll meet you at the same grocery, give me fifteen minutes tops. Hurry. Aisle Twelve. " There was a flat sound on the line as he hung up.

Hermione groaned. It was much to early for her to deal with anything like this, and yet it was happening anyway. Apparently, this was a matter of most importance to Draco, though to a sleepy Hermione in hours that were early for her, it was rubbish. She darkened her hair, her skin, and changed her cheekbones slightly. She threw on jeans and a t-shirt, and drove on to the grocery. When she arrived, Draco was already standing in aisle twelve as specified, pacing back and forth between canned spinach and chicken soup. Hermione laughed aloud when she saw him.

"Shh. They can't find out this is us. If anyone took notice, they might get suspicious."

"Honestly, Draco, we've changed our appearances. And they're muggles. What could happen?"

"We need to talk. Now." And with that, he grabbed her arm and apparated them to his apartment.

"What was that for? Are you absolutely insane?" She pulled her arm away from him and stared, he looked almost scared.

"No, look, you have to listen. This could be bad. Really bad. For both of us."

"What are you talking about? Draco, please explain what's going on!"

"I will if you'll stop asking questions."

She collapsed into a quite comfortable armchair and nodded.

"They've seen us in public together, and as you can see- " He pulled the magazine from his sweatshirt. "-it's looking a bit suspicious. I happen to be whispering in your ear, and you're laughing at something."

"The joke about the plate name... but that's not what it was at all!"

"That won't matter to them. They've snapped a nice picture. This is definitely me, and that - to anyone who knows you - is definitely yourself. The problem here is that I'm recently divorced. As in, just a month or so ago. And as you've told me last night, you are as well. Are you getting this now?"

She shook her head, but almost immediately after it dawned on her - the press would think that they were together. She laughed aloud at the thought. Yes, he'd changed - but not _that_ much.

He groaned. "It's not really that funny. You see, we'll work it out how everyone else might - they'll assume that we've been seeing each other in private. I already have accusations against me from Astoria saying that I cheated. This will make everyone in the muggle world think I've been cheating on her with you. You - you've just been divorced as well, though it was for Ron being a cheating bastard. They will then assume that you cheated on Ron as well, as we look very... cozy in this picture. However, this just looks like an outing. A rendezvous. A fling. And that's why they would assume cheating."

"I'm afraid I've lost you. I got that they might think we were having an affair, but I don't get what that last part means."

"It means that - in both worlds - our reputations will go down the drain. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless we come up with some idea to make it look respectable. We can't just say we're friends - that would just fuel the fire, we'd become liars as well as cheaters."

"I still don't follow."

"Hermione... you're going to have to be my girlfriend."

"Are you mad? Draco, we can't possibly do that. I'm only going to be here for three weeks. And I've only just gotten to see you again. This is ridiculous."

"Hermione, think about it. It's really our only option."

And so she thought. And thought. Every alternate idea that popped into her head was quickly squashed by obvious falsities - she could say it wasn't her, but then she'd have to go public to say that. The just friends thing wouldn't work, he was right. "What if we - no, that wouldn't work either." She tried for a full three minutes to think of something. But nothing came.

"I suppose... we'll just have to go through with that then."

"Alright. For all intents and purposes then, you are now my girlfriend. We'll have to go to dinner or something at least every day or two. And you'll have to accompany me to the Actors Guild gala in a few nights, and then the Awards dinner the following week... this is not going to be easy. But it will prevent a scandal."

Hermione simply nodded. This was going to be more than "not easy", it was going to be bloody impossible. Not to mention, everyone in the Wizarding world would be sure to recognize her name, if they did not recognize his. "You realize though, when I come out as your girlfriend... they'll recognize my name. And then they'll see you. Your persona as Dash Collins will be gone."

"No. We'll have to give you a fake name then as well."

"I will NOT subject myself to a complete false name. Not at all."

"You'll have to. It'll help protect you even more, anyway."

Hermione contemplated it for a moment before realizing again that Draco was right. "Fine. But if I have to be someone else, I'd like to be someone glamorous. Someone unusually mysterious."

Draco grinned. "Let's get thinking, then. We have a persona to make up and a relationship to act out. I'll be fine, but Hermione..."

"Yes?"

"How are _your_ acting skills?"

The pair laughed, this could get interesting after all.

* * *

That afternoon, they headed into the city to shop. If the paparazzi saw them, their story was set. He was Dash Collins, ridiculously good looking heartthrob actor. She was to be Valentina Gallardo, a new-on-the-scene half-english, half-spanish model. At this first suggestion, Hermione protested - but Draco assured her that a model was blase enough that no one would recognize her, but prominent enough for himself to be with. He also assured her, and himself, with sidelong glances, that she was definitely beautiful enough to be believable. They stopped it at a few shops to pick her up things to wear - evening dresses for nice dinners, casual fashions for nights on the town, an outfit for a club opening next week, a gown each for the gala and awards dinner. By the end of their excursion, she was exhausted. They'd attracted a few whispers from muggle passersby, and a young couple even stopped 'Dash' for his autograph and took a picture with them. Hermione was embarrassed, but put it behind her and pretended it was something she was used to. When they returned to her hotel room, she was fully prepared to changed into pyjamas and get to sleep - it was almost 9 and it had been a long day. Draco, however, said that if they were to keep up appearances, they'd have to go out again. She grudgingly stood to shuffle into the shower, and screamed when she felt a slight tap on her behind. It was Draco.

"Draco Malfoy! How dare -"

"Ah ah, _love_. Remember. Keeping up appearances. We have to be together in public, and we have to be, whether you like it or not, affectionate. Call me when you're ready. We'll have a late dinner and catch a show..."

Another inconvenience for Hermione uncovered, she stomped from the room, slamming the bathroom door behind her. She swore she heard him laughing for a moment before the loud crack announced that he'd apparated home to ready himself.

* * *

When she had finally prepared enough - short gold dress, matching heels, dramatic makeup and a scowl on her face - she called him.

"I'm ready." Before she could wait for him to respond, there was a loud crack and he appeared just in front of her.

"Finally. I've been waiting almost an hour."

She swatted at him with a perfectly manicured hand, and he surprised her by taking it into his own. Their fingers intertwined, she finally began to understand exactly how much of a commitment this could be. She laughed to herself as she had a thought - _I might as well get into a real relationship with him. It might almost be easier._ He looked at her curiously, but said nothing as he lead her to his car, out into the night again.

- - - - -

They dined at a restaurant near the one they'd been at the previous night. They saw a film at the cinema, he let her choose - "As long as I'm not in it." - and they laughed. Hermione was surprised to enjoy herself, not that she'd go so far as to say she'd _gotten used to_ the flashbulbs going on around them any time they stepped outside, just that as the night progressed, she was not as surprised and knew to put on a big smile and lean in close to 'Dash'. Later on in the night, Draco took them for dessert. Outside the cozy eatery, instead of plowing through the crowd, he stopped them. Hermioned looked up at him, puzzled, but he just winked at her. "It's time."

The paparazzi began asking questions - who was she? where was she from? how long had they been seeing each other? was she the other woman?

"I'm only going to answer this one, and I'm sure it'll leak everywhere after that anyway. This is my girlfriend. Her name is Valentina Gallardo, she's originally from Spain but she's been living here for the past few years beginning a modeling career. We've only been seeing each other for a short while - a week, would you think dear?" Hermione clutched at his arm and laughed, the cameras went crazy. "Yes, I'd have to say about a week. Almost two, actually."

He threw up his hands. "My mistake. Almost two weeks. But that's it, I've just met her a few days before that, and we clicked. It was almost like magic." He winked at her again and it took every ounce of her to not die of laughter. "But we'd really rather be on our way now, thank you... we're quite tired, long day..."

As they stepped down the stairs, more questions flew at them, but the "celebrity" couple just smiled and waved, their hands connected between them. A few flashbulbs went off again, watching them walk away, and a final flash caught him helping her into the car. They sped off towards her building. "So this is what you do? Avoid cameras and just, go wherever? At your leisure?"

He seemed to contemplate the portrayal for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. That's basically it."

"I would kill to live your life."

He laughed. "Hermione, if you haven't realized... right now, you do."

She grinned. Yes. This time away was going to be the best ever.

"I do have one issue though... 'Valentina'."

"And what is that?"

"Valentina is a Model. People will start looking for evidence..." he let his thought trail off. He'd hoped she'd pick up on it. She did.

"No. NO! Draco Malfoy!"

"You can use my middle name too, if you'd like. It's Abraxas, after my grandfather."

"How am I supposed to become a model? This is ridiculous! Why couldn't we have changed the story? I can't. It's not even possible. Is it?"

"Fortunately, yes it is. I know of a photographer who did a few shots of Astoria and myself a few years ago... I could set something up, and with the buzz we're about to create, he'd be more than happy to..."

"Oh this is strange. Ridiculous. I can't even begin to explain this. Malfoy, I'm a Healer, not a supermodel!"

He winked at her and smirked. "Not for now, you're not."

Hermione groaned. He was right. For once, Hermione had not thought something completely through, and she was about to pay the price. In photographs.

* * *

**AN: Hello! Well, now they're all out and in the public. Yeahh. Not much else to say there, I guess. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up tonight, if not then probably tomorrow... please review! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This is going to be a short chapter, I can just feel it! I have a lot to do and then I'm headed out with a few friends, I might be able to update again laaater tonight. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**Being so slim and slender, Hermione Granger had no problems convincing those around her that she was a model. After her first few steps into the posh, top-level studio in the city, Hermione had a moment of stage fright before settling down. The photographer, at least, knew that Hermione was not a model, but because he was an old friend of Draco's, was prepared to help him out in any way possible. Today, that included taking a large amount of photographs to make the public believe Hermione was a model.

They'd been picking out things all day. Designer dresses and accessories, a ridiculous amount of money was spent on this elaborate lie. When they arrived, it was all business. His name was Dexter, he'd done fashion shots for half of the major magazines and for his own publication. He set his assistants to work on Hermione's hair and makeup immediately, talking the job over with Draco. Hermione watched, curious, as Draco seemed to enjoy himself with the various aspects of their arrangement. After she was ready for the shot, she changed into the first gown. Draco was amazed at even this transformation. She looked similar to how she had after she'd taken her hair down two nights ago. Her hair was in loose, big waves, and looked touchably soft. Her skin glowed, she simply radiated beauty. Her makeup was in smokey greys and silver, which made her deep brown eyes look even darker and more mysterious. He took a deep breath again. Dexter took shots in front of a blank white background, making her pose in various stances. "Work it... yes. You're actually very believable. I'd believe you've been modeling for years. Great bone structure. Great skin."

The shoot took hours after that. Another gown, a few day dresses, some casual clothes, and quite a few bathing suits. Then, to her horror, she saw Draco grin and point to one last bag she hadn't seen before. It was pink. She recognized the design immediately. "Draco Malfoy. I have modeled evening gowns to bathing suits, but I will not take shots in lingerie!" She gasped, clutching her robe around her and storming over to the bag. It wasn't terribly large, but it wasn't small either. She took a peek inside.

What she saw was not bad. There were even a few simple things - black cotton boy short and bra. A silk and lace slip. As she dug down, things got progressively worse, but there wasn't anything terribly too scary, besides the emerald green lacy boy short and bra - both unlined. She scowled and he laughed. "Green looks good on you."

She stuck out her tongue. "A Slytherin might think so."

She took the back into a corner and changed beneath her robe, careful not to expose any part of herself to Draco. The first few poses in the first sets were simple, and fun, and when Dexter showed her a few, she actually liked them almost as much as the ones where she was actually wearing clothes.

She got down to a teddy and garter belt - no biggie. Draco had to help her with the garter, as she'd never personally owned one, and the contact was exhilarating and strange. It was black with purple edging of small lace, and it made her feel sexy for the first time in months. Then another teddy. Finally, it was time for the lace. No matter how hard she tried now, part of her would be exposed. She was glad she'd gotten rid of her tan lines this past summer on holiday, at least. She stepped towards the platform and disrobed.

Draco's eyes bulged out of his head. He'd seen her in a bathing suit, in other lingerie, but in this she was her sexiest. He smirked as he remembered the comment about it being green, and realized that the color did indeed look amazing with her hair and skin. She blushed, which was even more attractive, and stood with her hands on her hips. Dexter shook his head, directing her to stand a certain way, lounge against a step on the side, look away from the camera, look into it. She wrapped her arms around herself, then took them off, running them through her hair, legs slightly apart. She was actually enjoying this now, though she'd never say anything about it out loud.

When they finally finished, Hermione changed back into a casual outfit they'd purchased - a sequined top and leggings with heels that made her legs look miles long. It was nearly 7, and they decided to head out for sushi before heading back to her hotel room. When at first she protested their final destination, he held up a finger. "Appearances. Remember. We have to spend plenty of time together. I can always apparate home if you get tired of me, and come back for my car later." Draco put the bags in his trunk, and they drove a short while to a small sushi bar. He ordered their drinks, and Hermione enjoyed picking whatever she wanted off the conveyor belt. Ron would never have gone for sushi with her. Draco took one of everything, letting her sample things before she wanted to grab more. They laughed, they ate, they enjoyed sake. Hermione wondered how boring her weeks might have been if she hadn't run into this curious blue-eyed man from her past. She picked a piece of tuna nigiri sushi up with her chopsticks, carefully raising it to her lips.

Draco noticed almost immediately the way her lips parted ever so slowly. She was being cautious, and no one else might have noticed how slow it seemed, but for him time had seemed to stop. He heard his heart beat in his ears again, felt his blood rush through his body to places he'd rather not have acting up at the moment. Her mouth was open, allowing entrance for sushi, or a number of other things... She brought the piece closer again, before it rested on her lips. He froze. He had been looking at something just past her, and continued to, all the while actually watching her out of his peripheral vision. She pushed the sushi into her mouth, and he began to think of other things that might go the same way... she closed her eyes, as she'd done with the olive, and he took the moment to snap his head back to his plate in front of him, shaking his head and taking several deep breaths.

"Mmm. Delicious. We'll have to come out for sushi more often."

"I think I can agree with that."

* * *

They returned to her hotel room past 11. They'd sat at the bar talking about so many things that had happened in their lives - Hermione couldn't get pregnant, stopped trying. Draco couldn't get a word in with Astoria - stopped trying. They laughed at how horrible they'd been to each other in the past because of silly childish assumptions and opinions. The paparazzi, of course, caught them leaving, and followed them to her hotel room, snapping pictures of him walking inside with her, his arm wrapped close around her waist. She turned to look back once more at the cameras, waving slightly and laughing, before they disappeared inside. Once through the doors, however, his hold on her body did not relent. He pulled her into the elevator just as they were, and brushed his thumb absentmindedly over her slightly jutting hip bone. She blushed and turned away. He smelled her perfume again and could have melted, right there in the elevator. When they reached the room, he did not apparate, as suggested. Instead, the two remained cozy, Hermione curling into Draco's side as they watched a movie. He left around 3. When he did, Hermione realized, with a pang, that it was not the warm body she missed next to her, it was Draco himself.

* * *

**AN: Yeah, kind of short. I promise the next one will be regular length! Hopefully it comes up tonight. If not, tomorrow for sure. If you're a Dramione fan, check out my other story, The Eighth Year! It's sort of a retelling of the overused "everyone has to return for another school year" idea, with plenty of fluff, some lemon, and it's all told from a few different points of view, which slightly reminds me of "He's Just Not That Into You", it's going to be really cute and I've just finished writing up an outline for it, there are some very unexpected couples in there, but it's sure to be good! Please review. :3**


	5. Chapter 5

It had been nearly a week since the first photograph of them together had come out. Since then, there were countless articles - half of them front page - about 'Dash Collins' and his mysterious new girlfriend, one of which they had quite a few modeling portraits. Each time she saw a picture of herself on the cover of a magazine, it took everything in her to not start freaking out. There she was - Hermione Granger, aka Valentina Gallardo, posing in an evening gown, or a bathing suit, or - to her dismay - lingerie. Draco had been away for the past two days, returning to Malfoy Manor to gather a few things he wished he still had, and Hermione had been visiting her patient, making sure everything was going alright. One morning, however, Hermione was in for a shock.

She'd arrived at the house around noon, and the girl was awake. She had already shrank to near-normal size, though the purple sores still covered every surface of her body.

"Hello, Adrienne. Feeling any better?"

"Not necessarily. I'm still so itchy, all the time!"

"I know, I know, it must feel terrible. I've never had it myself, but I can't even imagine!" She owed not having Spattergroit now to the mask on her face.

"It is terrible. I feel like nobody could even recognize me if they saw me. I don't even recognize myself!" She held a mirror up to her face, frowning slightly.

"That's just Spattergroit. That's why I'm here. It's been about a week, did you know that? It means we're going somewhere. Have you noticed that you're already returning to normal size?"

"I did. My feet don't hang off the bed anymore. And I don't feel so rolly."

Hermione laughed. The girl was actually in good spirits, compared to adult patients she'd had before. Where the adults felt like they'd never get better, that the whole thing was some giant inconvenience, Adrienne just knew that she was on her way to feeling better.

"Well, I have something that might help with the itching, a special lotion. I've brought some with me, just in case you needed it..." she pulled the bottle out of her bag and handed it to the girl, who immediately treated it as if it was better than magic itself.

"I'll be back tomorrow to see how that's working. Have your parents get you something to do, a book or a game or something. I'll check in tomorrow at noon?"

"Sounds good. Thanks Dr Granger!"

Hermione left feeling satisfied. The girl was doing much better, Hermione had a good feeling that she'd be cured within the next two weeks. With a pang, Hermione realized that she'd be leaving in three weeks. She'd enjoyed check-ins with Adrienne and her parents, and she'd also enjoyed this crazy game of a time that she'd been spending with Malfoy. He'd changed quite a bit since the war, and no matter how much she tried to deny it, she realized that she definitely felt some sort of attraction to him. She shook her head, getting into her car. They were going out tonight, when he got back. How was she going to hide it from him then?

But Hermione did not get the opportunity to think of a plan for this. Upon opening her hotel room door, she saw Draco, sleeping on her couch.

"Draco?"

"Draco. Wake up."

He finally did, and sat up, rubbing at his eyes. "Oh. Hermione. Welcome back."

"Draco, what on earth are you doing on my couch?" She immediately felt self-conscious. She was in jeans and a sweater and tennis shoes, and she had on no makeup, and her hair was frizzy and back in a messy ponytail...

"We have a problem."

"What are you talking about?"

"Apparently, Astoria is not doing ruining my life."

"Can you please tell me what's going on?"

"She's fabricated a photograph of us. Together."

"There are plenty of photographs of us together, Draco. I don't understand what you're saying."

"No. She's fabricated a photograph of us... _together_. As in... in a compromising situation."

"Oh." This changed things. "How did she...?"

"The modeling photographs. She used magic, that's the only way she could have done this, I don't think she's ever touched a computer... but look at these."

Hermione took the photographs. The first was an altered one of her from that first night, but instead of their heads being over a booth seat, they were from the back seat of his car, and it looked as if he was whispering dirty things to her. The next was a changed one of her in the lingerie, she'd put Draco in the picture, his hands all over her. The last one was of the two of them - apparently naked - in Draco's apartment, taken from a security camera, where Hermione wasn't sure what she'd altered to get that one. She was horrified. "Draco... this can't... no."

"And look at the letter." He handed it to Hermione.

_Dearest Draco,_

_I know we've left things on bad turn, honey, but I really would love for things to go back to how they should be. We were happy then, weren't we? I've been feeling terribly upset since you divorced me, and I really would hate to have to hurt someone else in the process to getting back to you. I've enclosed a few photographs I've found in your old desk at our old house, and I really would hate to have to let them out into the public's eyes... the muggles would never suspect that anything had been happening, and the wizards, well, they don't think too highly of you to begin with, and Hermione could play the part of the good girl gone bad, couldn't she? Give me a shout and let me know what you think. If not, I'll be forced to act swiftly. _

_Yours, of course,  
Astoria Greengrass_

"This is rubbish!" Hermione threw the letter down on the table, angry. "She can't do this! These are completely fake!"

"I know. She mailed them to me this morning, and I came straight over. Look at the dates."

The dates on the photographs were of various days - days where Hermione was living back home, before she'd even run into Draco again. To themselves, they knew they were fake, but the muggle world wouldn't know a thing - they looked quite real - and who in that world would suspect magic?

"So... what do we do?"

"Well, if she came out with them within the next day or two, we'd be ruined. I'd be outed as a cheater, as would you, and these photographs show your face quite well. Someone would put two and two together, and if they don't, I wouldn't put it past Astoria to tell the entire Wizarding world."

Hermione sat on her couch beside Draco. She wouldn't cry - she couldn't. Her good name was in danger, because... why?

"Why is she even doing this?"

"She's angry because I divorced her. She's practically broke now, even though I pay her alimony - and plenty of it. She wants more money, or she wants me back, or something. That's what I'm almost sure of."

"So, what now?"

Draco took a deep breath in. "Well, Hermione. Now, we're really going to have to get into this. You'll be sleeping at my flat, every night. In public, we're going to have to become affectionate. And by affectionate, I don't mean by the terms it's been before. Previously, it meant my arm around you, or a peck on the cheek for the cameras, but now... things are going to have to turn up a few levels."

"Are you telling me we're going to have to become walking public displays of affection?"

"To be quite frank, Hermione... Yes."

* * *

He left shortly after, returning to his flat to prepare for their night out. She spent the afternoon stomping around, trying to find something to wear for their "Big Night Out", in which they'd have to do multiple things and spend at least seven hours out, making sure that the paparazzi caught plenty of shots of the two of them being very close - closer than close. Together. Frustrated, she opened her wardrobe, looking for a black dress she'd had for ages...

She laughed when she opened it, remembering that she was not at home, that she only had the clothes they'd bought together after shopping. They'd be seeing a movie... going to dinner... then getting drinks with a few of his famous friends... Draco had said a dress was a must, it was sexier and would provide for better evidence... she blushed when she thought of Draco seeing her in any of these short dresses. Before she'd realized she felt something for him, it was no big deal. They'd just been friends, and she'd just been looking nice for him. But things had changed now - for her at least. She began picking through the wardrobe, tossing anything acceptable onto the bed. She wished she could call it off, that he could just come over for a movie and soup, but that wouldn't work now that they had reputations to defend.

She could only imagine the shock in the muggle world - there would be questions, accusations, everyone would think Malfoy had cheated on Astoria with herself - and then, Astoria would bring them to the wizarding world. It would, of course, be much too easy for any of them to be able to tell that it was fake. However, it was Draco Malfoy. His good name wasn't worth anything there - most people still despised mentioning him, usually only because of the things his family had done. But hers - she would be shattered. She'd been a member of the Golden Trio - when Ron had cheated on her, everyone had found out about it. If they then had any reason to think she'd been cheating on him as well, or that she'd denied him another chance because she'd been sleeping with Draco - it would make headlines. She couldn't risk that. Though it seemed strange, the only way to save themselves had to be to act like they were in a new, real relationship. Astoria would be angry, she might still put out the photographs - but if Draco and Hermione could keep up appearances, with their "We've only been together three weeks" act he'd just made up for them, then why would they believe his crazy ex-wife? Of course, if he was actually dating someone new, she'd be jealous, and they'd think she'd altered the photographs the muggle way, or that they were new photos with old dates. She shuddered to think that at the end of this, people might think that she and Draco were actually sleeping with each other, as well as possibly loving each other. She had to admit, however, that at least the second one didn't sound so bad...

Out of the dresses on her bed, she picked the shortest one. It was emerald green silk, strapless, and had a sweetheart neckline that showed off her cleavage. She blushed. It was clingy, and came up so short that she'd have to pull it down slightly before sitting anywhere, for risk of showing off what she was wearing beneath it. She got ready for the night, and when she heard a knock on her door, she sighed.

"Here goes nothing. Or everything."

* * *

The cameras spotted them on the way into the theater. They had no idea what they'd actually be seeing, Draco purchased two tickets for the soonest showing of whatever film he wasn't in - and there were two out - and as they climbed the steps out front to the doors, he slid his hand much lower, and cameras went wild. His hand cupped her bum, his fingertips playing with the short hem of her dress. She gasped, but said and did nothing. Once the doors closed behind them, he slid his hand back up to her waist. "They'll have a field day with that shot."

After the movie, they drove on to a very fancy restaurant in the heart of the city. They sat at a table right in view from the front window, and many shots were taken of the new couple holding hands across the table, a red rose standing tall in the thin vase between them. She batted her eyelashes at him and he smiled. While the paparazzi felt they were getting shots of an intimate, romantic date between the two, they were actually talking about their next move. Hermione was flustered. This was quite enough for her already, but Draco shook his head.

"No, I know you don't want to. But we're going to have to kiss at some point tonight."

"I just... don't feel comfortable with it yet."

He grinned and winked at her. "And that, Hermione, is why we're going to the club after this with my friends. Drinks can do wonderous things, taking away all of your worries for a while..."

"Fine. But you had better make sure there is a nice flow coming towards me. And Draco?"

"Yes?"

"You have to dance with me."

"No."

"Fine, let Astoria..."

"Alright, alright. Just a few. Now I'll need drinks as well, I can't dance to save my life."

* * *

They met his friends for drinks and dancing around eleven, thinking they might leave by one. As she finally pulled him onto the dancefloor though, both of them feeling loose and more than a bit giddy, he felt like he could have stayed for hours. She turned to face away from him and grabbed his hands, interlocking their fingers and placing his palms on her bare thighs. She moved her hips against him, and he got the hang of it after the first few minutes. She laughed, leaning back into him as he pulled her closer. She did not mind this, and he didn't either...

Around one, Draco's friends left, and he and Hermione stayed until well past two, dancing and drinking a bit more and having a really great time. When they finally got ready to leave, Draco stopped her before stepping out the door. He bent low to whisper in her ear, his arms were around her waist and he pulled her very close. "They're going to be out there, you know. We escaped for a while, but... they'll see us. Do you remember what I said?"

"Yes, I remember. And I must admit, I wouldn't mind as much now." She raised her hand, running a cool fingertip down his jaw. He gasped. She'd had a bit more to drink than he had, but he had to admit he kind of liked this funny, daring, confident Granger he'd never known before.

"Alright then. On three."

She laughed, pulling him outside before he had a chance to protest or count. The paparazzi jumped from wherever they were, snapping pictures of the hot young couple, shining faces and wide grins included. At the bottom of the steps, Hermione turned her head to Draco. "I'm going to pretend to be offended now, and you're going to kiss me to make up for it." She turned away, faking annoyance, and then back to Draco, at whom she directed a shocked face. "Excuse me, Dash, but I really think that's inappropriate!"

This wasn't just acting anymore, this was improv. "Valentina, come on, I only meant it as a joke."

She dropped his hand, stepping away. "Fine."

He grinned at her, and she winked at him. He took the step towards her again, snaking his arms around her waist whereas hers were folded across her chest. "You can't just work your magic on me like this."

He laughed at her use of the word magic. "Yes, yes I can. I'm going to put a spell on you..."

Before she had a chance to laugh at their witty banter, she felt him move closer and she felt something shift between them. Yes, he was about to kiss her in front of all of these people. But why didn't it feel like they were only kissing for the cameras? His lips found hers, pressing against them tentatively. She pressed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. The flashes only got brighter. His head was bent over hers, she had to crane her neck and go even farther on her toes to reach him. Their lips parted, and after several moments of snogging in public, they pulled back, blushing. Draco turned back to the camera.

"Sorry about that, boys. Had to make it up to her somehow." They all came at the pair with questions, but Draco opened Hermione's door, helping her into the car. "Sorry I've got to leave, too, my girlfriend's had quite a day, and she needs some rest... we're just going to head back to my apartment now. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow."

He jumped into his own door, starting the engine immediately.

"Well played, Draco."

"That didn't feel like playing."

She flushed more than she had in front of the cameras. "Well, no, it didn't. But the last part."

"Even though that's not really playing either, right?"

"Right."

"You could always apparate back to your hotel room, and come back in the morning for the appearance of heading back."

"I probably shouldn't apparate in this state. And you shouldn't be driving in this state, either."

"Well it's better than leaving my car there. It wouldn't be there in the morning."

"Fine. Just get us back."

He took her to his apartment, and pointed to a bag on the coffee table. "There are some things to sleep in for you. I picked them up for whenever it happened. I'll be back, I'm just going to change, you can use the spare bedroom, it's just through there."

She took the bag into the room he'd pointed to, and changed. The emerald green silk nightie and black silk robe he'd gotten her were not terribly longer than the dress she'd just been wearing, but it was better at least. She also found a pair of soft slippers, and they were a relief after the four inch heels she'd just been dancing in for hours. She blushed again. Oh - the dancing. She hadn't meant to get that carried away, but she hadn't been dancing in almost two years with Ron, and it felt good to be out again, even if it was at the cost of a few martinis...

She walked back into the sitting room, closing the door behind her. Draco sat laying back on half of the couch, in emerald green silk sleeping pants and no shirt. He looked at her, and then looked her up and down. She rolled her eyes. "I sense a theme here, with the green and black."

He laughed. "I think I may have planned it. Slytherin colors do look good on you, I've told you that before."

"You have. Though at least this covers more than that did."

"That's true. What a shame." She sat beside him, swatting him slightly on the arm.

"Thanks, Malfoy. I'll remember that."

"You should. Care to watch a movie?"

"Sure. I don't think I can sleep right now. I was tired when we were about to leave, but..."

"I know what you mean. I'm going to be quite frank here, Granger, and say that it definitely didn't feel like play to me."

"Me either. Glad I'm not alone then."

"Precisely. I was worried I might be, but you seemed to like it quite a bit..."

"Oh hush, you did too."

"I'm not denying it."

He turned on the television, flipping through channels until he got to a movie station. Plastered on the screen was his own face.

"Oh, no. Not happening."

"Draco. Come on. It's one of your movies. I've never seen one."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

"Good boy."

He glared at her, and she laughed, curling up into his side.

* * *

**AN: Another chapter, done. There's going to be a little more to deal with, when it comes to Astoria (unfortunately) but it'll all come to an end soon. There are probably eight more chapters left in this. There might be ten, if I choose to do something differently. And there will be a lengthy epilogue. Okay, please review! And check out my other fics! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I'm baaaack. I never know what is going on in a story until I'm typing it out. (With the exception of The Eighth Year, which would confuse even myself if I didn't already have the next few "months" planned out on paper.) Anyway, I'm still working out the finer details of this fic, but they'll probably all be thrown out because of said improvisation. Enjoy the somewhat short update!**

As she refused to share a bed with him, even in her intoxicated state, Hermione woke to find herself tucked in to a rather large bed in the guest room she'd used to change. Yawning and stretching, she could see that there was a note on the back of the door. Curious, she rose from bed, making the walk across the posh room to take the note off.

_Hermione - had to leave early. Dealing with some divorce things, still. Trying to get Astoria off all this by giving her more money. Be back soon. Breakfast will be done around 10. I figured you might need to sleep late, after last night. Also, we have a small event to go to tonight... nothing big, just a recognition for a few actor friends and dinner. I'll likely be out all day, I've made you an appointment at the department store we visited last time, for noon. They'll get you set up. I'll be back around 6 I think, and we'll head out together around 7. Also, you should get your things from the hotel room, now that you'll be staying with me. Sorry to not be here. Pain relievers are in the drawer next to my bed. -Draco. _

Hermione laughed at the note. She was, to be honest, a little annoyed at first to find that he was not there. But when she read on, realizing he'd set up breakfast, a dress fitting, and directed her to the cure for her hangover, she smiled. There was definitely a change in Draco Malfoy, and she quite liked it. She stepped into the kitchen to a sweet, warm smell. It was just past 10, and she opened the oven to find fresh coffee cake attacking her senses. There was also the faint gurgling noise of a coffeemaker on the counter. Helping herself to breakfast, she smiled again. She could get used to this, possibly, if she were not alone...

* * *

It was the dress fitting that surprised her the most. Immediately upon arriving, no less than seven employees immediately rushed to her side, taking her purse and coat from her, showing her to her private dressing area and displaying the dresses that Draco had deemed appropriate for the night. From the looks of them, it was no "small event", as he said, but something more formal than she'd ever been to. All floor length, the dresses called out to her, like a beacon to the glamorous evening ahead. She followed the call. Who was she to turn down anything like this?

It took nearly an hour to try each dress, and by the time she was finally finished, she was glad she'd had three cups of coffee that morning. She chose a midnight blue number, with a lace-up back and beading down the sides of that. The seamstress quickly went to work on pinning it to fit her petite frame, tuttering along about height and alterations as she moved. Hermione caught one more glance of herself in the satin before she was done, and she was pleased.

"I'll have this ready for picking up in, oh, I'd say three hours, dear. Meanwhile, Alicia will show you on to the next phase..."

Hermione must have looked confused. The older woman laughed. "I'm assuming Mr. Dash Collins didn't inform you of this next part... just as well. He's booked a few spa appointments for you downstairs, and a salon appointment... says everything must be perfect. Very adamant about it, he was. Change, then, and head on down."

* * *

Draco heard his front door close, then heard Hermione head into the guest bedroom. He smiled, pulling on his shoes and heading out to his sitting room. At nearly seven, she emerged, and he was breathless. The navy gown he'd originally picked clung to her, falling away at her hips to float gently to the floor. She turned, modeling the dress for him. The lace up back dipped awfully low on her back, her pale, smooth skin showing through the ties. Her hair was different now - the color that came to mind was auburn - and fell in natural looking, large waves around her face and over her shoulders. They'd done her makeup professionally, which he hadn't requested, but which was a nice touch. He gaped a short while longer, until she laughed.

"Are you going to sit there drooling all night or what? We'd better leave soon. It's already seven."

He nodded, rising to his feet and taking her arm. Stepping out the door and down the elevator, Draco reckoned that he was getting farther in than he bargained for...

* * *

Hermione had been correct - this was definitely not a small event. She figured the first bit when she walked out the door of Draco's building, and saw the limo. Turning her head to look at him, he attempted to stop his smile by pursing his lips shut. After a moment, he could not hold back. "Surprise?"

She rolled her eyes, letting out a breath, and got in the back of the long black limousine. Draco slid in next to her, putting his arm around her waist. A sudden thought hit Hermione, and she blushed - Draco not only was affectionate towards her in public, for the cameras, but even in private - but why? Not that she minded, but it was a bit strange. The car ride wasn't that long, but it was terribly awkward. Every turn sent them closer together, pressing against each others sides, and his arm would sometimes tighten around her waist...

They stopped. "We just have to wait for our turn to step out, now."

"What do you mean?

"Oh. Erm, surprise again?"

"Oh no. Draco. What have you done?"

"We're at an awards show, really... hence the recognition of my friends. And we're going to have to make an entrance."

A few moments passed. The limousine moved forward.

"You've already gotten me with the whole spa thing, and the dress, and everything else in the past week... and now what?"

The car moved forward a little more. "Now," he turned to face her, "It's time to get out." The door opened beside him and he stepped out, pulling her by the hand after him. He helped her out of the car, cameras were flashing and people were screaming everywhere. Hermione squinted against the lights to see that they were mostly young girls, waving pictures of the two of them or of just Draco/Dash himself. She laughed slightly, as he slid his arm around her waist again, leading her down the red carpet towards a large pair of doors that seemed miles away. Hermione smiled and waved, as instructed, and posed for a few camerapeople who wanted shots of her dress. This was a little scary, yes, but all in all... it wasn't all that bad.

They finally reached the doors, and Draco lead her inside and to their seats - right up front. This could be a very interesting night...

* * *

Laughing, Draco and Hermione stumbled from the doors again, into their waiting limousine. They'd had a few drinks during the afterparty, and during the show, 'Dash' had been called up for a "People's Favorite: Hot New Actor" award that made him blush worse than Hermione had ever seen him. She laughed as he went up to pick up the small trophy, smiling out and saying "Uh, thanks." Before coming back to sit down again. When he got back to Hermione, she'd been laughing.

"They caught me off guard! I had no idea I'd have to go up for that!"

"Dash... I can't believe that... you couldn't even speak!"

"Oh, hush... come on, let's get something to eat before we head back."

After another stop for sushi - Hermione's request, Draco's dismay - they arrived back at the flat. Draco's smile fell immediately upon opening his door. There was an envelope on the table, with a very familiar seal... it was from Astoria.

_Draco, _

_I see you didn't take my last letter too seriously. You have 24 hours from the time you read this to either give me what I want or come back to me and stop these silly charades with Hermione Granger. The wizarding world is already abuzz - where is she? Where has she been since Weasley left her? - and any hint that she might have been with you, well... that's easy enough to figure out, what would happen, isn't it? You must reconsider, dear, I do miss you terribly. _

_Yours, of course,  
Astoria Greengrass. _

Like the first letter, the words here dissolved just after the pair finished reading it.

Hermione looked worried. "What are we going to do?"

"Nothing."

She looked at him, confused now as well. "What do you mean, _nothing?_"

"I mean, we're not going to do anything." He smiled. "Even if she comes out with these photographs, I think we've set in a solid story about the past three weeks, our 'relationship', how I was feeling heartbroken after Astoria changed, but then you came around, blah blah blah..."

"Wait, where did that last part come from?"

He grinned again. "Oh, the day I was dealing with all the divorce issues, I also had an interview with a magazine... it came out this morning. Forgot to tell you."

"It'll be alright, then?" She bit her lip.

"Don't you worry about it. The muggles would suspect that she'd do something crazy, after I left her."

"And what about the wizards?"

"Well if you look, they don't even know where you are. There's probably been a mention of you being away on business, but none of them know anything yet."

"Well... alright. If you insist everything is fine. I'll try not to worry."

Draco ruffled her hair, now that it didn't need to be perfect for the cameras. He fell back on the couch, and after she changed, she curled into his side again, sighing.

He smirked. "Good girl."

She swatted him, but smiled.

* * *

"Draco... how can you not be exhausted?"

"Actually, I was just thinking how it was amazing that you aren't sleeping yet. It's nearly three."

"It is... I should get some sleep. But it's terribly cold in that guest bedroom."

"Ah, yes... that room does always tend to get colder than the rest."

There was an awkward silence. Draco smirked.

"What's that smile for, then?"

"Nothing, 'Mione... just... something I remembered."

She eyed him curiously. "Alright... well, it's warmer out here... I might as well sleep on the couch. It's comfortable enough." She burrowed farther into his side, resting an arm on his chest. He lifted her chin.

"Nonsense. No guest of mine sleeps on the couch..."

"Then where do you propose I sleep? I freeze in the guest bedroom."

He chuckled slightly. "Well..."

"You're not about to suggest that I share a bed with you, are you?"

"You said it yourself. The other room is too cold. And I don't allow my guests to sleep on couches. It really is your only option, Hermione."

She seemed to consider it for a moment. "Fine. But you had better stay far over on your side of the bed. We don't need any affection for the cameras right now."

"Fine. I'll stay as far over as possible."

Hermione went to brush her teeth, and Draco turned the opposite way to get himself ready for bed. Down the hallway, he glanced to the left, smiling to himself. He stepped past the electronic thermostat, and chuckled slightly. While his own bedroom, the sitting room, and all other rooms in the flat were set to a cozy 68 degrees, Hermione's guest bedroom was set to 50... he sarcastically wondered in his mind, who would have done that? And grinned again, stepping through his doorway. He would, on her wishes, stay on his side. That girl was going to drive him mad...

* * *

**AN: Yay, I'm done. Review, please. Read my other fics. I'm rather tired, I've already had a long morning, but I'll probably update The Eighth Year tonight, maybe along with What Might Have Been... I might also start a new story! Wheee! **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hello, hello. Back again. Probably a short chapter, though every time I post that it always seems to get longer... hmm. Anyway, enjoy! And read my other fics! Caution : LEMOOONNNN later in the chappie! Lots of lemon. Probably more lemon than there is content in the chapter before the lemon. A few thousand words of lemony goodness. That's all I have to say for now. :3  


* * *

**Hermione Granger woke to find herself comfortably warm. Whereas she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the night before in the guest room, her shivers were missing in Draco's own room. He lay, as instructed, as far from her on the bed as possible. His knees fell over the edge of the mattress, and he was curled up in a way that almost looked... well, lonely. In a fleeting moment, Hermione realized that she didn't feel sorry for Draco... but that she wanted to comfort him. He'd been with a wife, however that had been, for years. They'd shared a bed. He'd had a companion, however psychotic she was. And now, he'd been driven away, and he slept alone. It made her heart fall through her chest, to think that about him. But she couldn't let herself fall into this now - certainly not. She threw back the comforter, stepped into her slippers, and shuffled out to use the loo. When she returned, Draco was lying on his back, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed, but smiling.

"A good morning, I see?"

"I suppose it's good enough for now. I assume you just woke up?"

"Yes... I spent much too much time sleeping, I still have to be back to check on the patient in just over an hour."

"Don't worry about it. I'll drive you over myself."

Shocked, she sat on the bed next to him, crossing her legs.

"Really?"

"Sure. It's no trouble. I have somewhere to be anyway... and it'll be nice for the media to get shots of us out on normal days."

Hermione thought for a moment, then shocked even herself by saying what she said next.

"I'm beginning to think that you're enjoying this. More than you want me to believe."

"Oh, Hermione, I am quite enjoying this. It's quite the riot to see you squirming around, semi-uncomfortable but enjoying the change from your drab life with the Weasel."

"It is quite a change..."

"My point exactly."

"I don't quite see your point..."

"Hush. Get dressed. We'll just go out for dinner tonight and come back. I'll take you with me in the afternoon."

Hermione nodded, traveling back into the chilly guest bedroom to change. She met him in the sitting room just a few moments later, hair brushed back into a ponytail, shorter layers framing her face. She was only in a skirt and blouse he'd purchased for her, but she looked stunning. He lead her by the hand down to the car, and with their fingers intertwined, neither of them wanted to separate until it was absolutely necessary that he get to the other side of the car to drive.

* * *

He dropped her off at nearly two, after a quick lunch stop. In the elevator up to the patient's flat, Hermione blushed, thinking of what might have happened if she hadn't told Draco to stay so far away from her in the bed... it had, after all, been nearly a year since Ron and herself had slept together in that sense, since he'd been getting his satisfaction elsewhere... she shook the thought from her head, settling instead on the young girl upstairs.

When she rang the doorbell and was let in, there was something curious about the room. The father was nowhere to be found, while the mother walked back, sitting beside a pile of magazines in her daughters bedroom - most of which had her own face plastered across the front. She gasped, and the mother laughed.

"Hermione Granger... or Valentina Gallardo?"

"Hermione, really... the Valentina thing... it's a long story..."

"Adrienne loves muggle celebrities. She thinks the fact that it's all about looks is laughable, but when I picked these up for her, something seemed familiar to me."

She picked a particular magazine from just beside her daughters bed - Adrienne seemed shocked still.

On the cover of that issue was the picture of Hermione and Draco snogging - which looked ten times more passionate than it had been - just outside of the car, the previous week.

"Oh god... I'm so sorry... it's a terribly complicated situation, as I'm sure you know..."

"Oh, I'm aware. I know what happened between you and Ron Weasley... I know what he did. And to be completely honest... I'm just glad you're with Dash... or should I say, Draco?"

Hermione gaped. "So... wow. How many others do you think might know?"

She shook her head. "Not many. I called a few friends back in wizarding communities, and even those who claim to like muggle news had no idea that Dash Collins was Draco Malfoy... though I suppose, having been the only one of my friends in Slytherin with Lucius, I'd know the look a bit more..."

"You went to Hogwarts? A Slytherin?"

"Cunning does not always mean evil, Dr Granger... sometimes, it just means resourceful. I'd actually say that Draco's move to the muggle world went quite well. He seems to have started over."

"He really has... now, I'd love to talk more about it, but I really am here for Adrienne... how are you doing, lately?"

The young girl shook her head. "Well, I'm doing alright. That lotion works magic, of course, I don't itch at all... there are still sores though, as you can tell... about another week, you think?"

"That's probably it. You had a particularly bad case."

Adrienne's mother, who Hermione had remembered was named Tabitha, began stacking magazines again, shaking her head but smiling wide.

"I know. My mum says it was worse than she'd ever seen."

"I don't doubt it. Even as a healer, it's the worst I've seen."

"I do have one question thought, Dr Granger..."

"Yes?"

"What's it like, snogging Dash Collins?"

Hermione groaned aloud. "It's..." she prepared to say something about their situation, something like 'It's complicated', or 'It's nothing special', but the look on Adrienne's face - compared to the jump in Hermione's own heart when she heard the question out loud - broke a smile across her face. "It's different. And, to be honest, quite nice."

"You're the luckiest girl in the world. I wish I could be where you are. Ugh."

Hermione laughed aloud. "Well, it's much more complicated than that, but I'd say he's actually quite wonderful. I knew him in school, and he was rather nasty..." She told Adrienne now-funny stories about things he'd done in school, to which Adrienne found horrifying - "He didn't!"

"Did too. Sneaky one, he was... thought I assume you know now, Dash isn't his real name. In reality, his name is Draco Malfoy. And for years, we hated each other, but now..."

"But now?"

"Things have changed. They've definitely changed." Hermione packed her things, leaving the girl to sleep and joining Tabitha in the sitting room.

"I'm assuming she asked you all about snogging Dash, and dating Dash..."

"Of course. She's just curious." Now that Hermione's secret was out, to at least one small family, she felt relieved. Tabitha and Adrienne, at least, did not believe Hermione was a cheater.

"So... if you don't mind my asking, how in the world did this come to be?"

Hermione laughed, shaking her head, and told the story she'd just told Adrienne - they'd hated each other in school, come to respect each other after the war, run into each other in the grocer, been caught together at Dinner that first night, and the following relationship - which she did not mention was completely fake - that was taking place. Tabitha clapped her hands.

"It's fantastic, really... Astoria was always off on these rants... honestly, I would be surprised if anyone in the wizarding world found out to begin with."

"That's the problem though, Astoria has these doctored photographs she intends to leak..." Hermione spilled the details.

Tabitha's eyes grew wider, then relaxed. "Well, there's really not much you can do but enjoy your time with him. You're a charming couple, I'll say that... I never would have expected my daughter's healer to be on the arm of Dash Collins, also known as Draco Malfoy, in a number like that..." she picked up a magazine with a shot of her in a pale yellow dress from a week previous. "But I'm not saying I mind. You needed someone after Weasley... and Malfoy certainly needs someone... I'd say at this point, just do what makes you happy. And the general public will believe what they will."

"Do what... makes me happy?"

"Exactly."

Hermione thanked the woman and left, contemplating exactly what it was that made her happy.

* * *

Draco picked her up less than a minute later, pushing the door open for her. "I'd been waiting just down the street. Couldn't find parking right out front..." She closed the door behind her, smiling. "It's nothing. I actually had a nice chat with the mother..."

"Oh? What about?"

"About Draco Malfoy dating Hermione Granger."

"W-what?" Draco spluttered.

"Honestly, Draco, calm down. Her daughter is obsessed with Muggle magazines... but even she agreed, that if the general public was sane, they'd see we're in a real relationship."

"And you told her?"

"That we were faking it? Of course not."

"Brilliant. Alright, well at least we know what one unbiased opinion might believe. That... helps."

"It does. Now, where on earth are we going?"

Draco smiled. "To an interview. For television."

Hermione rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she'd become used to that sort of thing - it was mostly just that she'd learned to expect surprises around Draco.

* * *

"So, how exactly did the two of you meet?" The blonde from the talk show reminded Hermione slightly of the woman she'd caught Ron with - something that created an automatic bias. The animosity could have also been caused by the bubbly host drooling all over Draco from the moment he'd stepped into the studio.

"Well... Valentina is sort of an old friend. We met on holiday when we were younger... she grew up to model, I grew up to act... and we met through some mutual friends a month or so ago. Went out for dinner, as you've all seen, and the rest is history."

"That's excellent." Hermione swore she saw the host - Brittany - eye her slightly as she said this. She paid no attention to his, instead reaching over to hold 'Dash's' hand for the camera. He turned, kissing her cheek, the audience aww'd in approval.

"Yes, it's been quite a whirlwind... what with his recent divorce, things are especially tough."

"Of course. Draco must miss his ex-wife terribly."

Draco cleared his throat. "Nonsense. I do miss having someone there, but... I think I've taken care of that quite well." He smiled, releasing his hand to put an arm around her on the plush couch.

"How... adorable." Now Hermione knew she wasn't seeing things, there was definitely a look in the host's eye as she said this. Hermione smiled, leaning into Draco.

"So, Dash... your newest film opens this Saturday. What are your feelings on that?"

"It's a brilliant film, really... done in the style of so many classic action films, with a new sort of twist on it... and a few surprises I can't let out."

"I guess we'll just have to wait to see it in theaters. Dash's new film, "Assassin", debuts Saturday, with a red-carpet premiere here in London the previous evening. I'm Brittany Ender, and this was Entertainment Now!"

The audience clapped and whistled, the cameras stopped rolling, and the host lost her cheery appearance, huffing slightly and walking offstage to her dressing room. Draco stood, helped Hermione to her feet, and signed a few autographs. Within a moment, however, Hermione realized that quite a few voices in the audience were screaming _her_ name - Valentina. She blushed, but walked down the aisles with a pen in hand, signing scraps of paper, notebooks, an arm, and a shoe. She laughed at the sometimes ridiculous things people asked her to sign - and even after Draco was done scrawling 'Dash Collins' across things, Hermione was just finishing up writing 'From Valetina, with Love' - she'd come up with it on the spot, and quite liked it. She finally joined him down on the stage one more time, waving and blowing a kiss or two into the camera before exiting the studio, hopping into his car, and driving into the night.

* * *

"So, I see the celebrity life has come easy to you." Draco smirked, Hermione smiled back.

"I couldn't deny them... what was I going to say? 'You don't want my autograph. I'm nobody.' when they think I'm Valentina Gallardo, newest international model and girlfriend of Dash Collins?"

"I like the sound of that..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Like I was saying though... it didn't seem like you were having too much trouble with it."

"I wrote 'From Valentina, with Love' on everything."

"Excellent. A cute signature."

"Thank you, Dash." She shot him a smug smile, he rolled his eyes, pulling them up to a swanky restaurant where dinner - and plenty of drinks - were sure to follow.

* * *

Once they'd finished dinner, the pair found themselves stumbling to his car.

"I really must stop getting into the car with you, when you're intoxicated."

"Nonsense... I'm perfectly fine."

"Of course you are!"

They laughed, reaching his car. His arm was still around her waist, and something - alcohol, perhaps - was telling him not to let go. So he didn't. Instead, he pulled her closer, wrapping his other arm around her waist. This could have been construed as a kiss for the paparazzi - if a single camera had been present - but there was none in sight. This was it.

Hermione snaked her arms around his neck, stepping just a tad closer in her tall heels. Draco grinned down at her, she blushed. "Draco Malfoy..."

"Hermione Granger. What am I going to do with you?"

"I've no idea." She giggled, thinking of the many ways he might interpret that last bit of conversation...

"That's quite alright with me." And in an instant, one of those ways was fulfilled. His lips pressed to her own, and yet it wasn't like before, like a scene in a film. This was different - this was backstage, it was secret, it was real. She pulled farther up on her toes to pull her body closer to his, his hands slipped down, pulling her hips into his own....

They separated, red in the face and shocked. He brushed his thumbs against her hips, smiling, then used his hands to guide her around to the passenger seat. It had felt like jumping under water, a pleasant shock to his senses, and when he came back up... he was absolutely breathless.

* * *

"Draco... I'm tired. I really am." It was nearly four in the morning, and the two had been up all night in his room, watching his films or other films, telling stories of their years apart, sitting closer and closer on the bed after they'd changed into pajamas.

"Nonsense. Time for dessert." He thought about a half-gallon of ice cream he'd stashed in the freezer while she'd been at her appointment, and stepped into his own slippers, putting a hand on her lower back and helping her to a standing position. Both of them were positively drunk. Once she'd stood up straight, she got the strangest sense of being very off-balance, and fell backward slightly, fearing she might hit the bed too hard...

But a pair of strong arms grabbed her around the waist, holding her upright. Their faces were inches apart, he was already leaning over slightly to keep her from being jerked upwards... there was something between them, almost tangible, a warm sort of feeling that pulled at her heartstrings and made her brain all fuzzy... it reminded her again of Wrackspurts, but that sounded ridiculous under the circumstances... she remembered their kiss from earlier, and she couldn't move. He couldn't move. She finally let out a breath, and he felt it touch his lips, warm and intoxicating and absolutely irresistible. He blinked once, twice, and she did not make a move to make herself upright. That was as good a sign as any...

He lowered her down onto the bed, pulling them both slightly upwards so that her head rested on the pillow beneath him. He wasted no time in covering her lips with his own, reaching up to tangle his hands in her hair, pulling her head closer to him still. She snaked her arms around his waist and pulled him to lay flat on top of her, his deep breathing pressing against her own chest. She realized then that she wasn't wearing a bra, and as he was shirtless, there was only a thin layer of material separating them. But it did not matter to her then. All that mattered was feeling closer to him, his body flush against her own, his cool skin rubbing against her own warmth.

Again, something shifted between them. Draco pulled his head back, holding Hermione's face in his hands. She stared back up at him, eyes ablaze with want and passion. She nodded, answering his unasked question. She was ready. And she wanted it to be him.

He ducked his head again, connecting them. His hands roamed around her body, brushing over her shoulders, her arms, her hips... lying flat over her stomach, floating upwards over her chest - he smiled against her lips then, making the same realization she'd just made before. His hands cupped her breasts, and he let out a shaky breath - they were bigger now than they looked when constricted by a t-shirt or blouse, each of them spilling out of his hands, supple but firm...

A sudden thought came to him. Call it the alcohol talking, but he felt that he must admit something...

"I changed the thermostat."

Her brows furrowed, and she got a most quizzical look on her face. "And this should concern me now, because?"

"Because I changed it for your room, so you'd sleep in mine."

Her face became blank for a moment, then she laughed. Raising her head slightly, her lips brushed his ear as her hips pressed into his own. "I guess that was a smart move on your part, then? Otherwise, I might be sleeping alone in there, instead of sleeping with you..."

The last statement made him audibly groan, but not in a bad way. He was sleeping with Hermione Granger - or beginning to, anyway... he shook his latest announcement out of his head, roughly kissing her again. She responded appropriately, tangling her fingers in his soft platinum hair, wrapping her legs around his waist. She felt it then - his erection against her leg - and let out a gasp. She'd been expecting something hard, but not something quite so large...

He reached down, playing with the hem of her nightgown, before she lowered her own hands, guiding his to bring it up over her head. Once it was up, she had nothing on but the lacy green boyshort panties from the photoshoot, and upon seeing them, he groaned again in pleasure. He grasped at her hips, pressing his erection into her. She moaned into his neck, pushing back into him.

They were rushing now, each anxious to finally be connected... he flung the panties off her in one motion, realizing with a smirk that while they looked fantastic on her, he enjoyed them much better strewn across his bedroom floor with her nightgown and robe. His own sleeping pants were next, followed by his boxers...

Her hand was on him as soon as he was out. He gasped, her fingers were cold against his hot shaft, her grip tight but not overwhelming.

"Hermione..."

"Draco... you're..."

"Quite well endowed, yes..."

She scowled, but he kissed her frown away, nibbling on her bottom lip as he pulled away, kicking his pants the rest of the way off. Her legs were already around his waist, her legs spread. He positioned himself at her opening, the tip settling just on the spot...

He pulled her face towards him, looking her in the eye. Something changed then, between them. And suddenly, they both knew. This wasn't just fun and games. They'd wanted this, however hard they tried to deny it, since the very night they'd gone out to dinner. Looking deep into her eyes, he eased himself into her, and she winced. He'd been much larger than Ron, she realized, and if she wasn't in pain, she might have smirked.

He pushed all the way into her, and they both let out a breath they hadn't realized they'd been holding.

"God, Hermione... this is..."

"Fantastic. Why didn't we do it sooner?" They laughed, and he shifted, moving himself slightly out of her. But as he moved, the spark ignited between them again, and the motion continued. He eased himself nearly all the way out, before plunging back in again. Keeping eye contact with her for several more motions, something felt right about this, to each of them, as if maybe they were meant to run into each other that night at the grocer...

They were frantic now, their bodies moving as one, bouncing on his king-sized water bed, he watched her breasts follow the motion, bending low to kiss them quite frequently, swirling his tongue around a hard nipple, nuzzling the cleavage between them... she moaned against his hair when he did this, pulling his head closer to her chest...

After several moments, he found his breathing quicken. But she put her hands flat against his abdomen, stopping him.

"Not yet."

He grinned, pulling himself out of her. He kissed her again, both of them slightly damp with sweat and smiling, pleased with the outcome of the night. He traveled downwards, planting kisses down her body until he reached the spot she wanted him most to find. He parted her lips with two fingers, flicking his tongue against her hard nub, long strokes from top to hole and back again. With his opposite hand, he thrust two fingers into her, causing her to gasp and moan suddenly, her hands on her own breasts. He looked up, seeing her run her hands back and forth, agitating her own nipples, and it struck something inside him again. He lapped at her now, causing her to move her hands to his head, tangling in his hair and pulling him closer to her. He sucked gently on it, making her buck against him, but the hand that separated her lips now secured her hips, his lips sucking on her clit while his tongue massaged it furiously. After several moments, she bucked against him one last time, arching her back to pull him his closest yet. He lapped her juices up with his tongue, the slightly sour taste being more delicious than any fancy meal. He crawled back up to meet her, and she surprised him by kissing him full on the mouth.

She did not enjoy the taste of herself, but she enjoyed his reaction to her kissing him anyway. He moaned into her mouth, and now Hermione knew what must be done. She grabbed his shoulders, flipping them over and pushing him back against the headboard. He cast a devilish grin at her, and she smiled coyly, working her way down his body with kisses as he'd done to her. When she finally reached him, he was even bigger than she'd expected. How she was going to fit her mouth around this was a puzzle, and yet she intended to make it happen anyway. She kissed the tip, swirled her tongue around it, before feeling confident that she could do it. Something brilliant suddenly struck her, and she opened his bedside table, where he'd previously told her he hid his wand. She whispered a spell and he found himself unable to move his hands from above his head on the wall. She smiled, kissing him again and then going down. He smiled, almost nervous this time - she was completely in control. Before he could think any more of it, she took the whole of him into her mouth.

He groaned aloud, and she moaned. The humming vibrations she made against him were magnificent. He pushed up into her mouth, she pulled him even deeper in, then out again, repeating as such for several minutes. When he seemed again that he was about to come, she pulled her mouth off of him, smiling. She wiped her mouth, crawling back up to him and releasing his arms with a counterspell. As soon as she set his wand down again, he grabbed her, setting her hips on top of him and laying flat on the bed. She put her hands down on his shoulders, then ran them down over his chest, then leaned farther back, picking herself up over him and leaning back on his bent knees, putting quite a display up for him. His eyes went wide and his breathing shook as she moved herself up and down his long shaft, her clit rubbing against him, her moist folds wetting up his shaft again. He grunted, then put his hands on her hips. She understood, positioning herself over him and then settling down so that he was inside of her. Resting her hands on his chest again, she rolled her hips over him, sliding him in and out, over her most sensitive spot. He pulled her hips, pushing himself farther into her and then pulling farther out, for maximum pleasure. After several moments of the loudest sex either of them had ever experienced, she climaxed, a near-shrieking moan escaping from her lips.

He, however, was not finished. As she slowed, he flipped them over, throwing her legs over his shoulders to get in deeper. He thrust himself inside of her, while she shouted things in his ear, riding out her climax as long as possible. "Don't stop! Don't you dare stop! Draco!"

The words in his ears egged him on as he thrust in for the final time, feeling himself release inside of her, before settling down, laying on her chest. She immediately grabbed his face, kissing him again. This time though, it was slow, and passionate. It was not a desperate cry for something physical, just a delicious pairing of two people who never knew they'd wanted each other this much. When at last they surfaced, out of breath and exhausted, she rolled into her side, and he filled in behind her, snuggling in.

She giggled, the alcohol still just slightly in her system. "So much for dessert..."

He slapped her bum, causing her to shriek slightly again. "I think that was dessert, love..."

And with that, they quieted, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**AN: FINALLY. Jeez. I've been waiting to write that. But I didn't want to make it _too_ soon. Now, there it was. And there will be more! Bwahahaha. Like I said... I say a short chapter, it ends up being really long... like other things! Hahah. Okay. I'm done with terrible jokes and updates for the night. It's terribly late now, I'll post this tomorrow afternoon, as it gets better traffic when I post then. I'll be back soon! Weee. Hope you enjoyed that. Please review, and check out my other stories! :3 **


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hello, I know, it's been a few days. And this is going to be a very very short update. Oh well. I'm finishing up one story, and this one only has a few more chapters left in it, and then I'll be starting two more! Enjoy!**

It was not so much that Hermione was frustrated at her hangover, though that of course did bother her. She stretched, and when her hand hit a now all-too-familiar warm body, she recoiled, shaking her head. _No. No. I did not sleep with Malfoy. I didn't. Did I? _Images flashed through her head from the night before - Draco looking down at her, concentration on his face, Draco biting his lip, pushing into her, - and she graoned. _Yes. Yes I did. _For a few moments, she considered her options. One - she could get up now, and return to the guest bedroom. Two - she could get up and make breakfast. But when Draco turned over, settling an arm over her bare waist, she chose option three - enjoy a nice morning, sleeping in, next to someone she genuinely cared about, whether she admitted it or not.

* * *

Waking nearly two hours later, she felt a hand running over her bare back. She lay still. She now recognized the hand, gentle but slightly calloused, rough spots running against her skin. She stirred.

"Good morning, 'Mione." He leaned down, kissing her cheek.

"I suppose so... but Draco..."

"Shh.." he put a finger to her lips.

"No. Not shh. Did we?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

She lay still, and so many thoughts ran through her head that it drove her mad.

"I think, Draco... that I'm not... that I'm sort of glad."

"Really, now?"

"Y-yes. It felt.... right."

"I know what you mean..." the devilish grin on his face told her that he agreed, sort of.

"Oh, hush. But... I care about you. And..."

Again, he put a finger to her lips, as if he could tell that her heart was racing and that she was unsure about every word that came out of her mouth.

"Don't say anything, yet. Have some breakfast first." He stepped out of bed, silk pajama pants on, and she put her own on - he had apparently gotten them before she'd woken up - and stepped out with him, where breakfast was waiting. She eyed him curiously. "How did you...?"

"Hermione, I think you're forgetting... I am a wizard, you know."

* * *

He took her out that day to see the city, as she hadn't had much time to before. It was a magnificent city, really, much different than anything in the wizarding world, and she was awestruck at the huge skyscrapers and tightly cramped streets. He took her to a film museum, and to an aquarium. They had lunch at the tiniest diner she'd ever seen, where the ancient waitress was apparently accustomed to his arrival. He took her for the most magnificent, oddly flavored ice creams - lavender and vanilla, saffron, rosemary - and they spent nearly two hours trying every strange flavor in the shop. They went shopping for an hour or two - he did have that premier next week, and she'd need a gown, of course. After several hours of enjoying the city, the pair returned home, arms full of bags and exhausted. Without hesitation, she sat down beside him, curling into his side. He put an arm around her, smiling slightly. _Maybe,_ Hermione thought, _Nothing needs to be said. Maybe we just know._

_

* * *

_Another letter arrived from Astoria. Reading it, Draco shook his head. If everything went according to plan, he needn't worry about her at all. He and Hermione had set up quite the story... and yet, it didn't seem like a lie anymore. It seemed real. While Hermione went to put her things away, he paced in his bedroom, thinking about what she'd started to say that morning. She cared about him and... to be perfectly honest, he cared about her more than he would have liked to. They'd been thrown together by some sort of strange accident and yet... he was glad. He was better than glad. He remembered running his hand over her back that morning, remembering the passionate night before... could he possibly have more feelings for her than he was ready to admit? He shook his head, and yet, there was a possibility...

He did not tell Hermione about the letter. He felt that they had nothing to worry about.

* * *

In the afternoon, an owl arrived. Curious, Hermione retrieved the scroll. She could recognize the scratchy, boyish handwriting anywhere - it was from Harry.

_Hermione - _

_Imagine my shock when I'd heard you were leaving for three weeks. I hadn't even talked to you in nearly two, and then I show up at your house to find Ron's things gone and you gone. I understand that you've kicked him out, but he's looking terrible lately, he's staying at the burrow or at my house most nights, and he barely eats, won't sleep, doesn't talk to anyone but myself and Arthur. It's killing Molly. I'm not asking you to forgive him, I'm just... I don't know what I'm asking here. He's miserable, I've never seen him like this, and I don't know what to do. You and I know him best, and I can't think of anything. _

_Yours,  
Harry_

_

* * *

_**AN: Eh, very short chapter. But the next one will be much longer. And then the last two or three, as well. Look for updates within the next day or two!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I'm baaaaaaaack. Left you with a short chapter last time, but I've been working on this chapter. It's pretty long. It's pretty crazy. And I'm hoping you'll like it. :] This fic only has about three more chapters in it, at most. Including an epilogue. It's sad, I liked this story, but it's going to end up being pretty short after all. Hope you're still enjoying it. I'll post another weird Dramione soon, as I've gotten quite a few good reviews on my original ideas. Enjoy!**

They'd woken up around nine, but now it was nearly eleven. Today, Hermione was going to see Harry. And she couldn't be more nervous. She was supposed to be going to talk to him about Ron, but she knew that the entire time, she'd be remembering everything about Draco, and he had no idea...

They had breakfast, it was quiet. This morning was not awkward, like the previous one was. This was just comfortable. They were comfortable.

* * *

Hermione knocked. And knocked again. Harry opened the door, rubbing at his eyes.

"Oh. Hi. Hermione. I was just taking a nap... day off work today..."

He led her inside, flicking his wand and bringing tea out for them. She sipped at hers, and he watched her. After a few moments, he spoke.

"Hermione. He's a mess. He stayed here after you kicked him out. Now he's back at the burrow until he finds a flat. He's terrible."

"He is terrible, Harry, and I don't see how you can write to me telling me this. What does it matter to me?"

"Hermione, he's only doing this because you left him..."

"And I left him because he was having an affair! From what I can figure out, it wasn't a one time thing, Harry! He used the same excuse, over and over again, and once I'd finally gone to surprise him when he had to work late... I found him in there! With her!"

Harry sat silently for a few minutes. He'd only heard Ron's complaining, he'd never heard it from Hermione in that way.

"Look, Hermione... the two of you were married. There was something special, there. Since we were young. And you're just going to throw all that away?"

"Yes, Harry. Yes I am. But this is not my fault, and no matter how much you want to back Ron up, you know it's his fault. He did this. If it was my fault he was so upset, I might reconsider, but I didn't make him sleep with another woman. He never touched me anymore like he used to. I figured maybe it was work stress, but Harry... he was with someone else. He cheated on me."

"But..."

"No, no but this or but that. Ron cheated on me. He disgraced our marriage and humiliated me, he made a right arse out of himself and stopped loving his wife so that he could lust after his secretary. Can you imagine what that's like, for me? You can't. You can try."

"Hermione..."

"What if Ginny cheated on you. What if Ginny had been saying that she was busy at work? She comes home late all the time... never gives a right explanation... one day, you get the owl, and you decide to surprise her. You buy her flowers, or bring her dinner. You knock, but there's no answer. So you open the door. And there she is, _fucking her secretary._ Can you imagine what that might feel like? You can't feel it like I did. But that changes things, Harry. That ends things."

Harry was now at a loss for words. He hadn't seen it quite so clearly as when Hermione had put it that way. If Ginny had ever done that to him, he'd be devastated. And then, Hermione had to deal with the press, who wanted to ask questions, get a story out of her, the two married members of The Golden Trio broken apart by some brainless secretary... he couldn't imagine. It hurt too much to try.

"I'm... 'Mione. I'm sorry. It's hard to see it that way. But I think... I can see it a little more now. Ron... well he'd just been upset because you left him, and I knew he cheated, but he told me it just happened once... but if you got the same owl, there's no way it could have just been once... I'm terribly sorry."

Hermione smirked. "You should be."

"Can you forgive me? Even if you can't forgive Ron, not yet?"

"Yes, I suppose. You are one of my best friends. It's just been terribly hard."

"I see. So how did you get the work travel?"

Hermione smiled. She didn't have to tell him, but she could...

"Well, it was a few weeks after the papers came out about Ron... there's a particularly bad case of Spattergroit in the city. They sent me out just over two weeks ago. Only about a week left. She's doing much better."

"That's wonderful. What all do you do when you're not working?"

Hermione blushed. Oh, she had to tell him now. Normal people might see the city, or go out, but Harry knew that was not Hermione's usual, and telling him she'd just been sitting around in her hotel room would be a lie...

But Hermione did not get a chance to tell Harry, because at that moment, an owl flew in with the post. Harry excused himself, walking to the window to pay the bird and collect his paper. When he unrolled it, however, he froze. Hermione's pulse raced. _Astoria. She wouldn't..._ but when Harry turned around, a look of absolute confusion on his face, Hermione knew. Astoria had released the photographs. And when Harry crossed the room, handing the paper to her, Hermione knew she had a lot of explaining to do. Right across the front page was a large picture of herself and Draco at the awards show, his arm tight around her waist, his eyes staring directly at her. She hadn't noticed _that_ before...

She went through the last few weeks day by day, starting with the day she found Ron. She moved to finding Draco, then their dinner date... having to hide from the paparazzi who they really were, everything. She even told him about the modeling shots, which he laughed about until she glared at him. She went through the fake personalities, the letters from Astoria, the doctored photographs. She flipped through the paper, looking for them, and found them quickly. Harry looked at them. "They do look, I don't know, realistic? But they're not wizard pictures. It's... strange."

"She's claiming that they were taken on muggle survailance... but she can't produce a camera. Draco already tried."

"Then maybe you still have a shot..." he read through the first few paragraphs. "It actually seems from here that you two have an actual relationship."

"Well... it's starting to feel like one, too."

Harry shot her a look.

"I've been staying at his flat. He even cancelled my hotel room. Originally, it was to keep up appearances, but I could have apparated back at any time... I just didn't choose to."

"And...?"

"We don't sleep in separate rooms, if that's what you're asking."

"Hermione, are you having an affair with Malfoy?"

"It's not really an affair, is it? Ron and I got a quick divorce. We're split. We're done."

"But are you sleeping with him?"

"In the literal sense, obviously, I've just told you we sleep in the same room..."

He rolled his eyes. "Hermione. Come on with it."

"Yes, Harry. We've slept together. Just twice. It's been... I don't know how to describe it. It's been a whirlwind. But it feels right. He cares about me. We have fun, and I break out of my shell when I'm with him... you've seen the gown. I wore that! In public!"

He laughed, flipping to the front page again. "You did, didn't you? Well... I can't really be mad at you. Are you happy?"

For the first time, Hermione was honest with herself and with someone else regarding the Draco situation. "I am. Deliriously happy."

"Then that's all that matters. It's going to take the rest of the world a while to get used to it... and I'm sure there are going to be people who believe you were sleeping with him before, even if these pictures really aren't too good... but if it's what you want, then who cares what the world thinks?"

Hermione leaned over and threw her arms around Harry. "Thank you so much, Harry... I hoped you'd understand. I know, it's Malfoy, of all people, but... he's really changed."

"Apparently. I've come to... respect him, in past years. He's stayed out of my hair. Been cordial at times."

"He only moved to the muggle world to get away from all of the people badgering him in wizard places. Said he couldn't get near Diagon Alley without people giving him trouble."

"And we got the opposite, didn't we?"

"Exactly. It's just... when I ran into him that night at the grocer, I wasn't expecting any of this. I wasn't expecting to see him at all, of course, but... it happened."

Harry hugged her again, and after making plans for tea again in a few days, she left. Draco was there in a matter of a minute or two, his eyes wild.

"Draco... I have something to tell you."

"What are you talking about? How did the Ron talk go?"

"It wasn't long. There's something else though..."

"That's good. How's Potter?"

"Draco! Astoria leaked the photographs."

He froze. "Oh. That changes things."

"But they're muggle pictures. They don't even move. And they're realistic, sure, but they're not... believable. She's got us doing things in front of windows, or out in the open. And why would we do that if we were trying to keep a secret?"

"Plus, the dates are wrong, aren't they? Nights when you still would have been with Weasley. Even he knows that."

"Exactly. Hopefully, it'll all blow over..."

And it did, in ways. The next day a statement came out from both Ron and Harry, claiming that they knew these photographs were fake. Ron came out saying that he knew they were fake because at these dates and times, he'd been with Hermione at home, or she'd been with Harry or Ginny. Harry had had to explain everything to Ron five minutes before they gave the statement. It was a rush of cameras and questions, but when the next day's Prophet came out, Hermione felt that at least she had the Wizarding world under control, for now.

* * *

The muggle world, however, was not as easy to convince. Draco had divorced Astoria, not the other way around. It did look suspicious. When the paper came out the morning after that first Prophet, Draco poured over the article, trying to find some way to right his reputation. There were flaws in her story, of course, but calling them out so blatantly would be sure to cause some sort of suspicion. While the wizarding world had been easy enough to convince, Draco was going to have a problem here.

Hermione stepped in through the floo.

"Draco?"

"'Mione. Work done so soon?"

"Yes. The girl's almost well again, it's remarkable."

"You're a great healer."

"Oh, hush. What's the news look like?"

"Most are shocked. A few actually believe it and publish it. And a few don't believe it at all and call her crazy. We're just going to have to convince the rest of them to think like that."

"How are we going to do such a thing?"

"Remember during the interview, she mentioned the movie premiere?"

"Yes... but I don't see what that's got to do..."

He put up a hand. "It's tonight. If we go out there tonight and act like nothing's wrong, maybe make a comment or two, it'll help loads. If we'd really been doing what Astoria said, we'd be nervous and angry. But we weren't. So all we have to do is act like we're fine, make a comment about Astoria going too far with her revenge, and keep moving."

"I see. That actually just might work."

"It's going to have to. I had to leave the wizarding world after the war... I haven't seen my parents since... I don't really want to, but you know what I'm saying. It's been difficult. This is the one place I feel... appreciated."

"Oh, Draco. You are appreciated, here. Even if it is for something utterly shallow."

He playfully punched her leg, but she still didn't move to sit beside him.

"Do I need another gown for this?"

"Of course, dear." He pulled her down onto the couch and kissed her cheek. "You need the _best_ gown for this."

They laughed, and he released his hold on her. All the while, both of them wondered if their relationship was just that, now. An actual relationship, instead of just something for the press.

* * *

Sitting in the limo that night, Hermione was nervous. Draco put an arm around her, but she was still tapping her foot, constantly looking out the window. First the director, a few higher-ups in the production business. A few of the co-stars. A few smaller roles. Dash Collins and herself were the final limo, the big bang at the end of the line. Fans looked at their windows, though they couldn't see through, and Hermione smiled. There weren't just Dash fans, here. There were Valentina fans as well. When at last they rolled up to the red carpet, the crowd went wild. Flashbulbs exploded, paparazzi pushing and shoving to get a closer shot of the most talked about couple.

They stepped out. Hermione was in a floor length emerald green silk dress with a slight train. It held tight to her body, flaring out at mid-thigh to float down to the floor. It had beaded straps and work crossing over her chest that shined when she moved. When she walked, you could see a hint of dangerously high, strappy, black patent heels, which matched her black feathered hair piece, holding her waves away from one side of her face. He makeup was sexy and dark, and she smiled at the fans. Draco/Dash was in a dashing classic tux, and the pair of them looked magnificent.

"Valentina! Dash! Any comments on the leaked photographs?"

"Obviously, sir... they're fake. The ex seems to have gone a little crazy with her revenge. She's quite upset I'm not paying her more than I am."

They walked a little farther down, signing a few autographs and taking a few pictures with fans and with each other, posing for cameras. Another camera man at the door asked if the rumors were true, and as they'd planned before, they both laughed. Draco held up a hand.

"If I'd found Valentina before, I would have been with her since the get-go, wouldn't I? Why would I have stuck around with Astoria if I had this on the side? We're new. My ex-wife is jealous. The rumors are completely false, and actually quite humorous."

As if he was cued to, the man laughed also, along with anyone else who heard Draco's statement. Maybe this could work out...

They stepped inside, and after being ushered to their seats, watched the film. It was nothing terribly engrossing, an action film set during the second muggle world war. Draco turned to Hermione.

"So... Valentina. That was interesting, yes?"

"Very. I love how the press makes it's assumptions." The movie ended, and the pair filed back out again with the rest of them. There were considerably less fans and paparazzi now, but the young couple did stop to have the same exact chat with many people from the press. When at last they were in the limo again, headed back to his flat, they let out a breath they didn't know they'd been holding.

"Finally. I don't know how you handle that all the time."

"Usually the paparazzi aren't so bad at premieres... this time they actually asked too many questions. Astoria won't see this coming."

"I hope not. Ugh." She slumped back against him, and her perfume hit him again. He couldn't help it this time, he did have feelings for her, and he was damned if she didn't have them as well. He shifted slightly so that he was facing her a little, and raised his hand to cup her face. She stopped breathing, as did he. This wasn't for the cameras. This wasn't drunk. This was Valentina and Dash, Hermione and Draco, their hearts beating nearly out of their chests.

"Draco, I..."

"Shh. If you're going to say what I think you're going to say, I feel the same way."

She nodded, smiling slightly. He smiled as well - he'd been right.

Tentatively, he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. She responded with equal pressure. Moving her arms to go loosely around his neck. He cupped her face and kissed her with more urgency then. And as they kissed, all the way home, they knew it was real.

* * *

**AN: Ah, okay. Another chapter done. I'll have two more. Then we'll be done. There might... MIGHT be a sequel to this. Heh. Because I like it a lot. It would cover everything after the next two chapters, from them dating in both worlds to his return to the wizarding world. I'm excited about it. I was dreaming things up all day today. Hope you enjoyed, please review and let me know if you think I should write a sequel!**


	10. Chapter 10

They woke the next morning in each other's arms. It was happening. The pictures had come out, and it had only brought them closer together. Hermione had confessed to her best friend that she was seeing someone that used to be their enemy. Draco had basically done the same by avoiding Blaise for several days. But when he heard a knock on the door, he knew he couldn't hide any longer. He kissed her forehead, throwing on his robe and shuffling to the door of his flat. Hermione listened closely. But she needn't do so for long.

"Ah. You. I see. Come in. I'll just go... Hermione! Put on your robe or something. Blaise is here."

She jumped, throwing on her underthings and her robe. Stepping into her slippers and out of Draco's bedroom, she blushed.

"Thanks for announcing to company that I was not clothed."

"My pleasure." He reached out, pulling her down onto his lap. "Blaise, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Hermione Granger. Again."

"So I see... Draco. How in the world did you convince the muggle world she was a model?"

"Simple round of shots. I knew of all people, you might get a laugh at that..."

"That I did. And then some."

"I told her you thought she was attractive..."

She swatted him. "I'm right here, you know."

He blushed. "Right. Sorry. Anyway, Blaise, to what do I owe the visit?"

"The pictures. I had to know."

Hermione spoke up now. "They're fake, of course. I was still with Ron. The dates would have been about two weeks before I found out..."

"The rat bastard was cheating on you? Right. His loss." Blaise winked at her, and Draco aimed a kick at his frend's leg.

"Hey! That's my girlfriend you're winking at."

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, I just had to know for sure... Draco here has always been quite the troublemaker, even in the muggle world he's sure to stir something up."

"Of course. Our Draco is famous for it." She touched his chin, giving him a small peck on the lips.

"Right then. I'll leave you two to your business."

"Thanks for the visit, Blaise. I was actually about to ask Hermione if she'd like to go somewhere for a weekend, just at breakfast..."

"And now I'm conveniently here. Well, I'm not using it. I'll get the keys to you tomorrow."

"Excellent. Until then."

Blaise slapped hands with Draco, and then shook Hermione's, smiling. "Pleasure to see you again, Granger."

Once he'd left, Hermione turned to Draco. "The weekend? Keys?"

"Right. This morning over breakfast I was going to ask you if you'd like to get away for a weekend. There's a lot going on around here, and the premiere is done with, so I have a few free days..."

"I'd love to. Where are we going?"

"Paris."

She squealed, jumping back into his lap, kissing his face. "Draco! The only time I've been out of England was for school of course... this is excellent!"

"I thought you might agree. We'll shop this afternoon and leave tonight on a plane. Our weekend can last up until Wednesday."

"Sounds perfect. I'll have to stop by Adrienne for her final check today anyway, and then the weekend... after that, I'll have to get back to St. Mungos..."

"We'll take care of that later. Come on. Breakfast is done preparing itself." As if on cue, plates floated to the table, settling onto the spots on their favorite corner of the table. Over their plates, they smiled. This was going to be a weekend to remember.

* * *

When Hermione knocked on the family's door, it was Adrienne who greeted her.

"Hermione! Hello! Look at me, all out of bed and running around!"

"I see! Actually, it's what I don't see! No swelling, no sores..."

"And I don't itch anymore!"

Tabitha stood from a chair at the table, the number of magazines had doubled since last time. "It's like she's collecting them to remember this when she's older. Her very own doctor, a muggle celebrity and dating her biggest celebrity crush." Adrienne stuck her tongue out at her mother, grabbing something from the middle of the stack. It was a tabloid from their first night, a picture of them sitting in the restaurant, Draco whispering into her ear, the picture that started it all.

"I want you to have this one. You told me last time that you didn't have them anymore, and I figured you might like it."

Hermione dropped to her knees, hugging the girl. "It's magnificent. Thank you so much. Draco will appreciate it as well..."

"Dr. Granger... do you think I could meet him?"

Hermione laughed. "Of course you can. We're leaving for a weekend in Paris tonight, but when we come back on Wednesday... we'll stop by."

"Oh. That would probably make my day. My year. My life." She put a hand over her heart, set to pretend to faint. Her mother and Hermione laughed.

Tabitha smiled. "She's definitely back to normal. Thank you so much, Dr Granger. I don't know how we could ever thank you enough."

"There's nothing to it. It's what I love doing."

"It's excellent. Cheers. And a weekend in Paris...?"

"Yes. You've heard of the Zabini's, I presume? Blaise, who was in our year at Hogwarts, is lending us his parisian chateau for the weekend. Until Wednesday, at least."

"I bet it's going to be fantastic for you to get away from all of this." Adrienne left the room, surely calling a friend to say that she was meeting the great Dash Collins.

"You have no idea. I'm so relieved. I had no idea he was even thinking of it until Blaise showed up this morning to ask about the photographs, and Draco convinced him to get the keys. I had no idea what he was talking about until I asked. I've never been outside of the UK."

"Well, Hogwarts is in Scotland..."

"I did mention 'Besides Hogwarts in Scotland', I believe."

"Smart as ever. Well, cheers to you. You've cured my daughter and survived a massive onslaught of things from Astoria Greengrass. Let me tell you, if I ever see that spoiled pureblood brat again... she'll have to answer a few of _my_ questions..." Tabitha smirked, as if pummeling Astoria Greengrass was the best thing she could possibly imagine. Hermione laughed, standing.

"I'll come by as soon as I get back Wednesday. I'll bring presents, you've all been so wonderful to me."

"Oh, don't trouble yourself..."

"Nonsense. Since being with Draco, I've come to get quite used to shopping all the time..."

"Don't I wish I could do that. The husband doesn't exactly bring in enough to buy me anything designer."

"That was my life before Draco. Haha. Well, I'll keep in touch after that. Until Wednesday." Tabitha hugged her, and Hermione left, smiling. Everything was just fine.

* * *

Draco took her shopping, as promised. And spent more on her in one trip that afternoon than they'd spent in her entire time in the muggle world. It had been three weeks since she'd run into him at the grocer. Three weeks of drama and dinners, shopping and surprises. Three weeks of, what Hermione was embarrassed to possibly admit - completely falling for Draco Malfoy. They packed their bags back at his flat, and before they left, he pulled her into the hallway.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"And you needed to pull me into the hallway?"

"Actually, yes." He pointed to the thermostat. Hermione couldn't read the tricky piece.

"What are you saying? That it's comfortably sixty-eight degrees in your flat?"

"Press the button for the spare bedroom. Number three."

She did. The temperature showed fifty degrees. "What? But... how..."

"I did it on purpose. I didn't like you being so far away."

"You trickster!" She swatted his arm. "But really, Draco. It's not a huge deal. Just a Slytherin being his usual cunning self."

"You're wonderful. I expected you to be angry."

"How could I? Look where it got us."

He leaned against her on the wall, kissing her deeply. "You're correct on that one. And now it's sending us to Paris. Come on, our plane is in an hour and a half, and we still have to get there."

They left in the taxi ten minutes later, holding hands in the back seat.

* * *

"Attention Passengers, we are now arriving in Paris, France. Please stow your trays in the upright position and turn off all cell phones and pagers as we make our descent."

Hermione gripped Draco's hand again. She had quickly learned that airplanes scared her senseless. He'd tried explaining to her how they worked, but she couldn't listen. After a few attempts, he'd given up. He whispered into her ear finally, and it got her to calm down.

"You're a witch. You can do magic. And you're worried about an airplane?"

"I'd feel better if it was in the air by magic."

"It might as well be. Pretend it is." And so she did.

When they hailed another taxi and found Blaise's chateau, Hermione gaped. It was a mansion, to say the least. A roundabout driveway set the introduction to a huge, parisian style chateau, with whitewashed walls, blue shutters, and a black door. There were enclosed balconies scattered around the multiple levels.

"This is just his summer home?"

"He's got a flat in London, but lives out here from June to September, working from an office inside."

"Excellent. Do you have one of these somewhere?"

He laughed. "Of course. Two, actually. I have one from my grandfather, it's in Germany, and one I bought about a year ago, a little loveshack in Greece."

"Amazing. I could get used to this." She leaned against him before her door opened for her, a doorman taking their bags and leading them into the house.

"Mr. Collins. Ms. Gallardo." They nodded back at him, stepping inside. Hermione was amazed at the elegant furnishings and decor of just the entrance hall and the sitting room she saw through a glass door. This was going to be a fantastic weekend.

* * *

They went out late that night for dinner - he took her to a fantastic little restaurant that barely held twenty people, including waiters. They dined on french delicacies, drank wine, and didn't speak a word about their problems back in England. When they returned that night, they changed and stepped into the pool or jacuzzi, enjoying a long night alone. Hermione wondered all the while, did he have other reasons for bringing her to Paris? But shook the thoughts from her head quickly. It wasn't like seducing her would be such a terrible thing.

The next few days were blissful - taking in the sights, enjoying alone time at the chateau, wining and dining and using their weekend to relax. When it was at last their final day, Hermione spent most of it shopping, gathering things together for Adrienne and her family, Harry, Ginny, Luna, even something for Ron. Draco smiled, following her along and paying for her purchases before she had a chance to pull out her credit card or currency.

"Hermione... it's nearly two. Our plane leaves in two hours."

"Is it really? Damn. I was having such a great time here..."

"As have I, but we'd really better get back. You have to get to St. Mungo's..."

When he said this, something became quickly awkward between them. "I do. I know."

Draco changed the subject, worrying all the while. What was going to happen now? He'd completely fallen for her. And he knew she felt the same way. But she had to get back to her work, no matter how believeable she was as a model. Draco had to start filming his next movie next week. Their three weeks had changed things though, that he knew. And if he had to use the entire plane ride home to figure out how to change things, he would...

* * *

"Attention Passengers, we've just landed in London, England. Current time is posted just outside the terminal." Hermione adjusted her watch back to home time, and Draco lead them to another taxi, in the long ride back to his flat. He'd come up with an idea on the plane ride while she slept, just as he'd planned. And he was going to unveil it when they visited the family of her patient. She'd like that.

They unpacked, but Hermione was unsure of where to put her things. Back into her suitcase? She didn't like the feeling that she might be leaving him in a day or so. She settled for simply unzipping her paris bag, leaving it open against his wall. That was better. That felt less like leaving, and more like coming home.

She changed into an outfit she'd bought in paris and gathered her gifts for the family. She'd bought Adrienne a french magazine, some sweet smelling perfume, a set of beautiful dress robes, and some earrings and clips for her hair. She'd splurged a little on Tabitha - a designer purse and two simple designer dresses, perfect for dinners out or dinner parties. She'd even bought the husband a nice box of cigars, which she'd seen resting on the sitting room table numerous times. As the family opened them at their flat, Tabitha gasped.

"Hermione... you really, really shouldn't have."

"I had to. You've all been so kind to me... kept my secret when you found out."

"Nonsense! This is too much."

"Well, I'm not flying to Paris to take it back, so I guess you're keeping it anyway."

They hugged her, thanking her for the gifts, but most of all for curing their daughter. At last, Hermione's phone buzzed. Draco was waiting outside the door.

"And Adrienne... I have one last surprise for you."

The girl gasped. "Oh gods. He's outside, isn't he?" She spritzed on her purfume, making everyone in the room laugh, and ran to the door. When she opened it, she couldn't speak.

"Hello, Adrienne. I've come especially to see you. Hermione tells me you're a big fan."

"Biggest fan. Oh my god. You're here. In my flat. What do I do?"

"Show me around?"

"Right. Come this way." He put out his hand instead, and she took it, pulling him around the flat. The three people in the sitting room stifled laughs. Tabitha spoke first.

"She'll be talking about this for months. You have no idea."

When the girl and Draco returned, Tabitha snapped a few pictures of them, and then some with Hermione, and then one of the full group, setting the camera down on self-timer and running in to the picture.

When it took, Hermione hugged her again. "Thank you, again. And send me that picture!"

"Of course. Hope to see you again."

"Of course! I'll call you. I'll just... have to make a trip over here."

Draco cleared his throat."Actually, you won't."

Hermione stared. "And why is that?"

"Because you're moving in with me." He stepped closer to her, grabbing her hands. "I can connect the floo to a building just down the street from St. Mungos... from my flat... you could stay with me."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Draco, I..."

"Say nothing of it. I've already sent in a request to the ministry, just while I was waiting outside. You won't have to live in the house you shared with Ron. You can share one with me, now. If you'd like."

She threw her arms around him. "Draco, I'd love to. I really would. This is fantastic!"

"I'd hoped you'd say that. That's why I sent the request."

"This is... more than I can thank you for. You've been so amazing these past few weeks."

Adrienne squealed. Tabitha gasped. Her husband sat down in a chair, pulling out a cigar.

They separated, and Hermione kissed his cheek. "Thank you so much, Draco."

"No, thank you for staying with me." He kissed her cheek as well, and then they said their final goodbyes to the family. When Draco started to say goodbye to Adrienne, he hugged her tight, then kissed her cheek. Her hand flew to her face, her mouth forming a large O. "Oh my god. He kissed my cheek. Dash Collins kissed my cheek."

They all laughed, and the young couple left, excited to get back to the flat - to get back home.

* * *

**AN: :3 Finally. I've been waiting to write that scene for quite some time now. And there it was. Alright, I have two more solid chapters in this story, and then I'll start the sequel in the next week or two. Cheers! Review! And go vote in my new poll on my page! **


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hi, I lied. I'm not doing a sequel to this. But this is also not the last chapter. Instead of putting the sequel under a new story, I've decided I'm just going to continue Take Two through this page you're on now. I decided to do this people people have alerts, people have favorites on this story, and if I made a new story, people might lose track of what happens after. Do you know what I mean? So here goes, another kind of short chapter in Take Two. But not the last. :D **

Hermione smiled, and then stopped. The events of the past few days had all been such a wonderful, happy blur. But now it was back to reality, back to friends and family and jobs. When Draco had asked Hermione to move in with him, she'd been absolutely shocked. They'd only met again just a few weeks ago. And yes, they'd been close, and they were now definitely dating, but they could have kept appearances. But at this thought, a new thought hit Hermione. What was going to happen to 'Valentina Gallardo'? She'd be working back at St. Mungos, and wouldn't have very much time for afternoons out with Draco. She wouldn't be able to stay out late every night, because she'd have work in the morning. Ideas played themselves out in her head, trying to find a way to get the best of both worlds.

* * *

Draco took her out for lunch that day, and she explained to him her concerns.

"I'm just worried about... well, everything really."

"I can see why you would be. But you can floo into work, and... we'll figure it out."

"I know. I just don't see how I can exist as Hermione Granger and Valentina. It's exhausting having just done it for three weeks when no one knew. Now, with us being an actual couple... we're going to have to make a very odd transition back into the wizarding world."

He let out a breath. "I know. I haven't been back in a while, it's going to be... strange. But it kind of has to happen. People mostly know things anyway, you said you've told Harry, it's bound to come out soon. And Valentina... she can still exist. We just won't be going out every night like we did. Only on weekends, now. Like normal people."

Hermione chuckled slightly. "As if anything about this situation was _normal_."

He picked up her hand across the table and pressed his lips to her palm. "Don't you worry about a thing, Hermione. Everything is going to work out just fine."

"If you say so. But Draco... I think we should go check out Diagon Alley, at least. Get a little shopping done maybe, or just walk around."

"Now that, I don't know about..."

"Come on now, it's been years since you've been there."

"That's exactly my point. I was getting along quite well in the muggle world. And the only reason I had to was because of peoples... attitudes towards me."

She considered this for a moment. "Then we'll just have to change their attitudes, won't we?"

He rolled his eyes, then looked back at her. He could see the wheels turning in her head already.

* * *

When she woke the next morning, Draco's arm curled over her waist, his body flush against her own, she sighed. Not in a million years would she have, a month ago, been able to guess that this would be happening, let alone that it would be the thing she wanted to happen most. She carefully extracted herself from his arms, throwing the blankets back over him. It was a chilly morning - and not because of any thermostat jokes - and Hermione wrapped her robe closer around her, shuffling into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. There was an owl perched on the windowsill. She opened the window, and the bird nipped gently at her hand, holding out three envelopes for her. She sent the bird off and untied the letters, recognizing the scratchy handwritingon the first one instantly. Though many things had changed about Harry Potter, this was not one of them.

_Hermione - I tried stopping by the address you gave me, but you weren't home. Ran into Blaise on the way out, said he was house sitting for you while you stayed at his house in Paris. Was a little shock to me, but nothing big. We should talk, and by we I mean me, you, and Ron. I know you're not taking him back any time soon, but I think it would be best if the two of you can just be grownups about this and try to keep a friendship, for my sake. We can do coffee and desserts at my house - Ginny's gotten really good at treacle tarts lately, and she's making them like crazy. Just stop by for a chat tonight around 8. Nothing weird, I promise. Yours, Harry. _

A chat? Fine. Hermione could handle this like a grownup. Even if she didn't necessarily want to be within a hundred miles of Ron Weasley, she could keep a minimal friendship with him for Harry's sake. She realized with a pang that it must have been hard on Harry, too. His best mate cheating on his other best friend. That's a problem in itself. And then with this whole Draco ordeal coming to him... she shook her head. They'd discuss it tonight. Draco would understand her needing to meet them now. She put the first letter down, pulling out the second one. It was from St. Mungos.

_Hermione Granger: _

_We've received word of the happenings of the past few weeks from the mother of your latest patient. Do not be alarmed, we are aware of the unusual circumstances, and were already informed by Mr. Draco Malfoy that his residence in London would soon be yours as well. We've already changed the address in our database, and his fireplace will be connected to the floo network within the next week. _

_There is also the concern of your employment with us - we are aware that you have been living a double life in the muggle world, and we understand your need to carry on both lives. We can only hope to accomodate you by shifting your work schedule slightly so that you'll be working three days a week with us instead of six. This number is also up for negotiation, but we advise you to cut back on hours so that 'Valentina Gallardo' doesn't have to make a mysterious disappearance because of a work schedule. _

_Please let us know of your plans as soon as possible. _

_Employment and Work Services  
St. Mungo's _

She laughed slightly, setting the letter down beside the other one. News traveled quickly, apparently, and Tabitha had spoken to St. Mungo's about the Draco dilemma when they'd asked her about Adrienne. Hermione blushed slightly, realizing that this meant that the wizarding world was going to actually be able to know that she and Draco were officially a couple. Then came the third letter, and with it - Draco shuffling out of their bedroom, kissing her on the cheek before getting coffee. He came to stand by her again, glancing at the already open letters on the table.

"Who're these from?"

"One's from Harry, I'm going to see him again tonight, he's getting Ron and I to meet to settle the last bits of our divorce, and also to try and maintain a grownup friendship, for his sake. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't Harry asking. The other one is from St. Mungos... my career is safe, basically. Tabitha spoke to them when they called her about Adrienne, and apparently told them we're moving in together and the double life bit and whatnot."

"So you're telling me, that people in the wizarding world are going to _know_ we're living this life?"

"Yes. Some of them already do, and knowing some of the paperwork nurses at St. Mungos... news travels fast anyway."

"Oh, Damn. Alright. What's this next one, then?"

The purple envelope was blank, but Draco seethed. He recognized the stationery anywhere. "Astoria. Alright then, get it over with."

Hermione pulled out the parchment and read.

"Draco, dearest. It seems that my efforts have been for nothing, you've bested me. I could not blackmail you, I could not beg you, none of it worked. So if you're looking for me to admit defeat, you've got it. I won't apologize for my actions - I did what I did because I needed to - but I'll just admit that you've bested me. Cheers. I hope you're happy with her. - AG"

Draco laughed, grabbing the letter and skimming over it again. "Admit defeat... oh my."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "Yes, it was a rather odd term to use. Now Draco... what are you doing today?"

"Nothing in particular, just spending my time with you..." He kissed her hand. "Why?"

"I've been meaning to go to Gringott's and have some of my currency switched over to muggle money..."

"And you were hoping I'd tag along with you into the heart of the wizarding world?"

"Well, yes."

He considered it for a moment. "Fine. We'll go for lunch and the bank, and then we'll come back home."

"Possibly. I might also have some shopping to do."

He groaning, standing and walking back over to the coffee maker. She followed him.

"Draco... are you nervous about going?"

"Terrified."

"Don't be. If I can see how much you've changed... I hope the rest of the world can see how wonderful you are, too."

He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Thank you, 'Mione. I'm just a little scared. My last experience there was less than fantastic."

"I know. But things have changed. And if I'm with you... well obviously if I'm with you, they'll know you're alright."

"Or they'll think you're mental." She swatted him, stepping back.

"Thanks, Malfoy."

"My pleasure, Granger."

At the joking use of their last names, they laughed. It had been what they'd done in school, since the very beginning.

* * *

"I'm not sure if I still want to do this." He was in jeans and a thermal, sandals on his feet. "I can't do it."

"You'll do fine, Draco. And if you think that they're going to bother you... use your acting! Pretend you're alright. And you'll feel alright."

"If you say so. Are you almost ready?"

"Yes, I just can't get the zipper here... I love this sundress, but it's impossible to do by myself."

"Let me help you."

She opened the door and stepped out, clutching the dress to her chest. She turned around he pulled the fabric together, zipping it up effortlessly. His fingertips brushed all the way up her back, and it made her draw in a breath. She shook her head. There was plenty of time for distraction later, now that they lived together. Turning to Draco, she laughed. "D'you realize we're matching?"

Her white, embroidered sheath hugged her upper body and then fell loosely away at her hips. His white thermal stood out when they stood together. He laughed. "I don't mind it. Come on."

They took a taxi, stepping out around the Leaky Cauldron and stepping inside. The volume fell slightly when Draco stepped in, but grew even louder when Hermione stepped in behind him, slipping an arm around his waist. She stood on tip-toe and giggled, kissing his cheek. He hadn't told a joke or anything, this was all her - she was acting, for the witches and wizards.

"Draco! That's ridiculous. Come on, we've got a lot to do this afternoon." She took his hand, pulling him through the pub, waving at people she knew with her free hand. They either waved back or simply started - they'd seen the pictures, but after the Daily Prophet had come out the next day with Ron and Harry both saying they were fake... people had assumed that the pair wasn't together at all.

She tapped on the brick, granting them entrance into the crowded marketplace. As the bricks fell away, the archway grew, and Draco's grasp on Hermione's hand got tighter. She squeezed back, smiling up at him.

"Are you ready?"

"Not at all."

They stepped through, into the bustling crowd of witches and wizards in Diagon Alley.

* * *

**AN: This was originally how I planned to end this story. But I've decided not to. I was going to write a sequel - then changed that. Now I'm just continuing here, this story will probably double in length. Yay! Please review and let me know what you think about me continuing this. And go vote on my poll, or read another of my fics, or something...**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: YES YES YES. I'm back. :3 And I'm here to give you the first chapter of the sequel/part two to Take Two, the aptly named... Take Three! Hahaha. Anyway, Take Three begins exactly where Take Two left off - Hermione and Draco stepping into Diagon Alley, together. The rest of the world is just now getting that the two of them are actually together. While this means good spirits for our favorite witch and wizard, it also means a bit of trouble. There are those that still hold grudges towards Draco after all these years, and don't care if Hermione is in the way when they try to get their revenge. A little drama, plenty of fluff, an emotional return home for Draco, and a little bit of lemon later. It's very different from Take Two in the way that Take Two was easy, they were in a separate world, the war hadn't existed there. But back in the wizarding world, these two are in for a few surprises. I'm posting it in the same story because I fear if I separate it, not enough people who read the first part will find the second part. So, here goes!**

**--**

_PART TWO - TAKE THREE_

There were elbow bumps, a few muttered apologies, and quite a few moments where Hermione's toes were stepped on and the offender stepped quickly away. But none of this shocked them as much as the stares. There weren't just a few sets of eyes hovering on the pair, that would be too simple, too easy. Instead, it seemed as if every set of peepers was absolutely transfixed on the two of them. The sight was odd, and unexpected to those who knew them quite well or not at all. The glaring sun shone down upon the couple in white - the main contrasts between them being Hermione's deep auburn hair to Draco's platinum blonde, and of course their height, as well. The onlookers gaped - jaws brushed the floors as they remained in step, turning their heads to ogle as long as they possibly could. Draco and Hermione had only stepped into Diagon Alley fifteen seconds ago, and already he was squeezing her hand so hard, she felt her bones might crack.

"Draco. Ease up a little. That hurts."

He shook his head, startled by her speech. "Right. Sorry. Are you sure this was a good idea?"

"It had to happen eventually."

"But wearing muggle clothes? And especially with all of the news about us right now?"

"Exactly the right way to do it. Draco Malfoy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were scared."

"I _am_ scared, 'Mione. Terrified."

She laughed, nudging him slightly with her upper arm before stepping forward, pulling him with her. "Come on. I need to get some money before we start."

They walked hand in hand, Draco remaining as close to Hermione as he possibly could without tripping her. When they reached the doors of Gringotts, Hermione glanced up at Draco. "Coming in?"

"I wouldn't stay out here alone if my life depended on it." She laughed, and he looked down at her. Her wavy hair was shiny in the bright sunlight, her sundress hugging her curves and exposing just enough to be attractive without being provocative. She pulled him forward again, and he said nothing the entire time inside. He could feel the eyes on them, watching them silenty as she dragged him across the marble floors and back again. The wizarding world was in awe.

Hours later, the staring had not stopped - it had only gotten worse. Draco was now hanging his head at every moment. The faces of some shoppers astounded him. There were those who looked kindly on them - smiles, well wishes, greetings. And then there was the opposite - a look Draco had come to fear. He had known this would be coming - it was why he had left the wizarding world to begin with. But he was not prepared for the glares, the grimaces, the looks of absolute loathing, all directed towards himself. Hermione purchased a straw hat on a short break from Diagon Alley, in a muggle shop a few blocks down. If it wouldn't look so ridiculous on him, he might have worn it just to hide from the onlookers. At lunch, Hermione carried on her conversation as usual.

"... terribly excited. That house is full of bad memories, even if it is quite a nice home. The realtor couldn't understand why I wanted to sell it so fast, but then again, he couldn't see me laughing on the other end of the telephone line, either."

"Mhmm."

"Draco... come off it. You're hiding."

"Of course I am. Have you seen how people look at me? Like I'm a monster?"

"They do that because of your father, Draco. Not because of you. Of course you'd be associated with him, but half of the people in the wizarding world were around the night of the war, they know what your father did, and Harry came out and said it a year past then, that he didn't believe you were anything like your father. It's just... difficult. I know."

"More than you know. They hate me."

"Not all of them. Even Neville's gran said it was nice to see us together, don't you remember?"

He chuckled. Of all good greetings, it was exactly that one that he did remember.

_He'd heard Longbottom's voice before he saw him - though when he did see him, he was surprised. The chubby, awkward boy from their school years was gone, replaced by a sure, muscular, tall young man with messy hair and a large scar going through one eyebrow. He'd nearly squeezed the breath from Hermione with his hug, and had even gone as far to hug Draco himself. Neville had reached behind him to bring an ancient looking woman forth by hand. _

_"Here's Gran. Gran, do you remember Hermione Granger?"_

_"Of course I do. Good to see you, dear."_

_"Still radiant, Mrs. Longbottom."_

_"And still kicking, as well. Nothing stops me!" She cackled, and her spirit made Draco chuckle. _

_"And you, the Malfoy boy. Ah. With our Hermione here. Good to see she's found herself a right man this time around. Never did like that Weasley boy much." _

_Neville gaped, Hermione laughed, and Draco simply smiled, offering his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am."_

_She took his hand, and the strength of her handshake made Draco do a double take. He felt his knuckles being pressed together, circulation to his hand being completely cut off._

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Draco, who'd been lost in though. "Yes, I remember quite well."

"I assume you would. Gran looked as if she might almost tear your hand off."

"Felt like it, as well. But you have to understand, Hermione... it's a scare."

"Of course it is. But what were you expecting, hugs and sunshine? Rubbish. You knew this was going to be hard." She reached across the table to grasp his hand. "But it's going to be alright. It's just going to... people need a little time. That's all." She looked at him, eyes full of hope, and he smiled - even if it was only for her.

* * *

When they returned to the apartment that afternoon, there was a letter waiting on the coffee table, an owl perched on the windowsill was waiting for a reply to send back. It was addressed to Hermione, and as she read, her face changed so rapidly that it caused Draco to laugh.

"What on earth could that letter say that is making you think so many things?"

"What are you talking about, Draco?"

"You've taken on at least fifteen faces so far."

"Well, I'm finished now."

"And?"

"Harry wants us to join them for dinner. He really wants us to join the Weasleys as well, but that... not tonight. You've been through enough today."

"So dining with Potter and Weaslette is next on the agenda?"

"Apart from using those names, yes."

"Fine. I'd like to see Harry again anyway, strangely enough."

"I thought so. I think this will be... well, at the very least, it will be interesting to see how the two of you relate after all these years."

Draco smirked. Dinner with Harry Potter. Lovely. He retreated to their bathroom, showering and dressing while she did the same from the other bathroom. When they stepped out to meet each other again, Draco's apprehension melted away. Across the sitting room was his girlfriend, his Hermione. She was dressed in a simple emerald green dress - his favorite color on her - and as she walked across to take his hand and lead them out the door, he felt that there was nobody on earth he'd rather have by his side than her. Even if it meant supper with Potter.

* * *

If one were to say that Draco had been surprised at the behaviors of his longtime archenemy, it would be an understatement. Upon arriving, Harry shook Draco's hand with enthusiasm, a smile plastered across his face. "Mal-... Draco. Hi. Long time no see, eh?"

"Right, Harry. It has been a while. It is good to see you. You've been well?"

"I have. And you? Well, obviously you've been alright. A muggle actor... not expected."

"To either of us. Trust me. But it happened - and eventually it lead me to Hermione, strange enough."

"Yeah. Come on then, let's go see what the girls are up to."

'The Girls', as he referred to them, were in the sitting room of Harry and Ginny's house, whispering to each other and laughing.

Ginny sat up straight when she saw them over Hermione's shoulder. "Oh. You two. Catching up?"

Draco sat beside Hermione. "Something of the sort. Ginny."

"Draco. Nice to see you."

"You as well."

Harry disappeared then, calling out around the corner when he'd checked to see it was done. The four sat around a small table in the dining room, reflecting on old school years and the past few weeks. Draco sat between Hermione and Harry, and he had to admit at the end - after too many laughs, so many jokes, and quite a bit of good natured name-calling - that he wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

**AN: Obviously, Draco's return to the wizarding world is full of positives and negatives. It's only going to get crazier from here, so stick around! Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Hi. :3 I haven't forgotten about you. I've simply been REALLY REALLLLLY busy in the move. Apparently, we can't move out yet, and the place we wanted is only available if we take it NOW NOW NOW which we can't. I'm just stressed. I need a laptop. I need something that I can update my stories on. I need YOU, readers. Please enjoy. I miss these. **

The next day was infinitely easier. Settled back in their apartment, Hermione and Draco spent the day relaxing, owling friends, and flipping through channels on the television. The day seemed as if it might be, well, perfect. But our favorite pair did not get to enjoy the quite for terribly long. The doorbell rang.

Draco glanced at Hermione, standing from the couch to cross the room. As he did so, there came a knock.

"I'm coming, I'm coming... who in Blaise's name would be so urgent to get to me..."

Draco's words bit him again. It was indeed Blaise Zabini's face that was before him, his odd array of muggle clothing gave him the appearance of being mildly mental. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind himself, and sat right down beside Hermione. In a moment, it was apparent that it was not only his clothing that made him look slightly insane - his hair was a mess, his shoes untied and scuffed, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, and on top of it all, he was blinking so rapidly his eyes might as well have been shut.

"Granger. Alright, Draco, there's a bit of a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Well..."

"Wait a second - are we talking muggle world, or wizarding?"

"Which do you think?"

"Right. Both. Have at it then."

Hermione remained silent, but Draco put his arm around her still. Whatever was going on, he knew he'd have to have her with him to get through it. A thought instantly crossed his mind - the old Draco Malfoy would have NEVER relied on a woman like the new Draco did - but looking at her now in nothing but pajama shorts and a tank top, her hair pulled high on her head and that vague little glow to her skin... he knew he had changed. Blaise cleared his throat.

"There seems to be a... problem around."

"What kind of problem, Zabini? Spit it out."

"I think you should see for yourself. I'm just warning you, this time. I really can't stay. Do that muggle looking thing you do. Bring her."'

"Wait, Blaise, would you mind explaining to me exactly why you look like you've just stepped in from living off the streets?"

"I wish I could."

And with a loud crack and a slight unsettling of the air around them, Blaise was gone from their sitting room as if he hadn't been there in the first place. Something had looked desperate in him in those last few moments, as if he was begging Draco to understand something he couldn't bring to words.

"Draco... would you mind filling me in on what in Merlin's name that might have been?"

"'Mione, I haven't the slightest idea myself. We should probably follow what he said... go step out and see what's going on."

She nodded, but he noticed she looked a little scared. It worried him. Of all people, he expected Hermione to pull him out of the apartment, kicking and screaming, and yet it was she who was slow to leave tonight.

"'Mione?"

"I'm just worried. Last time... it was all false. But what if it's something big this time? What if it's something... I don't know. The muggles can't have discovered you're a wizard, and the wizards know most of what's going on... I honestly have no idea what this could be."

"And nobody expected you to, even as smart as you are." She smiled a bit at this. It pleased him. "But come on... change your face a bit quickly, and get yourself dressed... we've got to figure out what that mad hatter was talking about."

* * *

Fifteen minutes, four changes of clothes, and three spells later, Draco and Hermione were sitting in the car in front of the same grocer at which they'd first run into each other again. Looking at each other, they were both nervous, afraid to find out what it was that had spilled over into the muggle world. Could it be Astoria? Or some enemy from the past? Neither of them were sure of anything. They stepped out of the car and once around the side, Hermione immediately grabbed Draco's hand. The feel of her smooth palm against his was mildly comforting, but he had to remain focused - if Blaise had come by like that, something was seriously wrong. The pair stepped inside the store, calmly perusing the produce before selecting a few apples and returning to the front. Their eyes were instantly focused on tabloid magazines, but when they came into focus, there was no sign of either of them, anywhere. They checked over covers, read a few small stories inside, but found nothing.

"Blaise said that there was a problem... in both place. Shouldn't there be something out then?"

"Something should, Draco. But I don't see anything!"

"Neither do I. It's just as strange as Blaise himself was today... let's just head back to the apartment. We'll ask around with friends tomorrow and see about the Wizarding world... we can just get some sleep for now."

Hermione obliged, jumping quickly into the car next to him. He kept the car going as fast as he possibly could without attracting unwanted attention from the police, and pulled into his parking spot in five minutes flat. Within another moment, they'd reached the door to the apartment, but everything was not safe there...

The door was ajar. Draco had made absolutely sure to close and lock the door tight before leaving, but here it was, open just an inch or two into the lit room before him. Hermione, breathless, was huddled under his arm.

"Hermione... stay here. Someone's been here. And I need to go in and have a look at things."

"What?"

"Someone's broken in or something. I need to make sure they're gone."

"Be careful, Draco."

The desperate tone in her voice, under terrible circumstances even, made him feel slightly better. She was here for him.

He stepped inside to see everything in a mess. The television was broken and sparking slightly on the floor, their mugs of tea cracked and spilled. Drawers had been ripped from the desk, the armoire, the side table, and their contents were strewn about the room. He stepped into both bedrooms, which had been torn apart even worse than the first.

"Shit. Who could have... and right after Blaise... Something here isn't right."

"Draco?"

"Everything's a mess, Hermione. But stay there. I'm going to grab us a few things and we're going to stay somewhere else tonight. Do you know of anywhere? Most hotels will have closed by this time..."

"I can call a few people. Just give me a moment." He heard her muttering mixed greetings and questions while he piled clothes, toiletries, and various valuables into a suitcase stashed under his bed. Once full, he returned to the front door and waited for Hermione to finish her call.

"Draco, I've just finished with Harry, he says we're more than welcome to stay for as long as we need, and of course he wants to hear more about everything... is that alright?"

"It's excellent. Potter comes through in the end... always thought he might. Let me borrow your phone, mine is dead, I need to make a police call and we'll have to let them check everything out before we can get to Harry's."

The police arrived shortly after and took note of everything that they could find. There were no fingerprints but their own, they surmised, but they took careful details down anyway. Hermione was silent, save for a sniffle every few moments or so from the corner of the room. Draco had left out the bit about Blaise - even in the wizarding world, that visit would sound a little strange, and it wouldn't make sense at all for the muggles. The police call was mostly for motions, he had to make the call or a broken in apartment would look more than suspicious - it would look crazy. They left within half an hour and Hermione and Draco were free to retire to Harry and Ginny's.

* * *

Once Draco stepped inside, it took only moments for him to remember that he'd just been here for Dinner the previous night. Nothing had changed except for everyone's faces - solemn, worried, confused. Ginny led Hermione into another room, assumedly to shower and change while he and Harry talked about what had happened that night.

"So... Blaise walked in the muggle way. Then spewed out a bunch of stuff about some kind of 'problem', apparated out, and there was no sign of anything in the muggle world?"

"Not a whisper. And I'm Dash Collins - it would be front page on every paper, if it was anything like what Blaise made it seem."

"This is really odd. Did your dad have any old enemies? Do you have any old enemies?"

"My father had many... as for myself, I had only you, and we know where that's gone."

The two of them smiled briefly, remembering their torturous years as enemies. "Yeah, Draco. If only I could have stuck around with your Death Eater friends."

"And if only I could have been a teacher's pet. But I wasn't."

"Exactly. Anyway, you have no idea who this might have been?"

"None at all. After these issues with Astoria have quieted down... do you think it's her again?"

"Might be. But that's kind of unlikely. You've just come back into the wizarding world. It's probably someone on that side... but what would Blaise have to do about it? Or know about it?"

"That's the other thing. I have no idea. And he was acting really strange, he looked like he wasn't himself..."

"What if he wasn't?"

Draco blinked. "Pardon?"

"What if it was... Polyjuice Potion? Or a spell?"

"It could very well be, but not many people know the exact apartment I live in... it's not listed or anything."

"That's true. Well, Malfoy, you're both free to stay here as long as you like, until you feel safe. I consider you... a friend now. I hope you know that."

"And I to you as well. I just want to get this all settled... it's not doing well on Hermione."

And with the friendship of The Boy Who Lived, his frightened girlfriend, a night on an uncomfortable couch, and the musings that his best friend may very well not be his best friend, and may be part of some conspiracy, Draco woke throughout the night, waiting only for the day ahead of him.

* * *

**AN: Update! Okay, I'll try and be back soon. Please review, it lets me know that people are still reading my fics, even when I'm the slowest updater ever. Cheers!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: AH, here we go. A proper computer again. Anyway, sorry for that last faulty update... I didn't realize I had posted the wrong thing until late the next morning, and I took it down as soon as I could. I'm writing this from scratch, as the original 14th chapter of this fic is sitting on a computer that currently doesn't work D: Anyway, please review, I'd love to hear from you all! Cheers!**

**

* * *

**The sun streaming through the wide, uncovered window was unwelcome. The couch under him, however, was not. Yes, it was Potter's couch, and yes it was extremely uncomfortable - but it was safer than his flat, for the time being. He could hear conversation in the kitchen adjacent - Hermione was up early, as usual, and chatting with Ginny about what had happened the night before. He could picture it now - the entire flat in a mess, drawers emptied, things scorched and damaged. It had been a nightmare of a sight - nothing they couldn't fix by magic of course, but disaster all the same. Hermione had been strangely silent throughout the ordeal, which was highly unusual. He chuckled slightly - if he could usually rely on Hermione to do anything, it was to fill any silences. Might have made last night a little easier. She could have been trying to solve the mystery herself.

That, though, was the puzzling bit. There wasn't anything to jump off of. Just the strange appearance and disappearance of someone who may or may not have been his best friend, an unusually quiet night in London, and a ransacked flat. None of it made any sense, and none of it could really lead them anywhere else. He rose from the couch, grabbing some parchment off a nearby desk and scrawling out a quick note to Blaise.

Blaise -

Strange visitor last night with your face. Was it you? Need answers.

Draco

He sent the letter off by owl and joined the women in the kitchen. If he was going to try and figure this out, he needed a cup of coffee first.

* * *

It was Hermione's decision to stay another night at the Potter's. They hadn't yet received a reply from Blaise, and until they knew for certain that it was or wasn't him, they both felt unsafe returning home. Ginny magicked on a spare bedroom towards the back of the house for them, just large enough to use for the next day or so. Ginny took Hermione out to shop and get her mind off things that afternoon, which left Draco alone with Harry. Hermione had promised to ring his cell as soon as she felt like coming home, but the call could not seem to come fast enough. Repeated jinxes would have been more entertaining that stirring coffee around and around for this amount of time.

After nearly an hour of awkward silence between himself and Potter, Draco rose.

"I think I'll head back to my flat, have a look at things again. Something just seems off."

To Draco's surprise, Harry rose as well.

"I'll join you. Something just doesn't match up."

"Exactly what I was thinking." He eyed his old enemy carefully.

Harry eyed him back, but both realized it wasn't aggressive - just curious. "Like, the fact that there was nothing outside. And that Blaise - if it was Blaise at all - was so odd. And the flat, I haven't yet seen, but let's go see it then."

After Draco altered his appearance, the pair apparated to an enclosed park just a short walk from the complex. Harry poked fun at the different face as much as possible.

"Look, Draco, you've finally gotten some sun exposure. Do you still glow in the dark?" He laughed and Draco smirked.

"Potter, if we weren't in the middle of a populated muggle community I would hex you on the spot."

"Friends don't hex other friends Draco, not outside of the Slytherin world anyway."

"And Gryffindors, what, hug it out?"

"Something like that."

Draco led him into the building and up the elevator to the topmost suite.

"You live up here, Malfoy?"

"You can stick with Draco. I prefer to ignore my family name as much as possible."

"Really?" Harry stopped just steps from the elevator doors. "Draco, you don't think someone from your family could be in on this?"

"I wouldn't put it past them, even now."

"You don't talk to them, I suppose?"

"Not in six years, Potter. And I'd like to keep it that way."

____

* * *

Flashback... June 7th, 1998.

"Draco, darling, you really do need to cheer up. You've been sullen since the war and it's taking a toll on this family." Narcissa picked at her talon-like nails, glancing at her fair haired son.

"You think I give a fuck about being sullen?"

"Watch your tongue, boy!" Her attention was solely on him now. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I've had enough of it! Things have changed since then. Our family, our loyalties, everything."

"Not everything. Not enough."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You both still hang around with your Death Eater friends. You both still loathe Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry Potter and even Dumbledore. And you're both still cold, unattached, and unaware of what the right way to raise a child might have been." Draco stood, turning to leave.

"You are still a part of this family! And we've changed! We're so very different now!"

Before taking the final step out of the dining room, he made his decision. He was leaving, for good. His family had done enough damage to this world.

* * *

"So it's really been a year since you seen or heard from any of them?"

"Slip of words, Potter - I haven't talked to them in six years, but that doesn't mean I haven't heard from them. I get owls every few months begging me to come back, or to visit, or to at least reply back. I did that once, but only to tell them that I don't think I'm ready for a big sappy reunion yet."

"I was surprised as anyone once they changed alliances, but if it's your grudge... suit yourself."

"Precisely."

"Does Hermione know?"

"That I don't talk to them? I suppose she suspects. Let's check on the flat. But be prepared - it's a ghastly sight."

"I've been through Malfoy Manor at the worst of times - I'm sure I can handle it."

Potter had one-upped him again. But he'd have to deal with that later. He pushed open the door and let Harry pass him in.

It really was dreadful. Burn marks everywhere, piles of ashes and torn parchment, upturned chairs and table, the sight was heavy.

"This is bad, Draco. Really bad."

"Hence the reason I slept on that awful couch last night."

"I've been trying to get Ginny to get rid of it for months. It squeaks, and it's much too firm."

"At least we can agree on one thing. Ah, here's what I was looking for..."

Draco stooped low to pick up a copy of the tabloid from his and Hermione's first night out. The one that started it all.

"A muggle magazine? That's what you came to get?"

"Never judge a book by it's green and silver cover, Harry." He flipped through the pages until one stayed open, and from the fold he took a small, folded bit of parchment. "This is the very thing that could solve our little problem here."

Harry, puzzled, stepped closer to Draco. It seemed to be nothing but a bit of parchment. But Draco was holding it so carefully.

"This is something you may have never witnessed before, not in all of your years in the Auror department. I've come up with the charm myself."

"But what does it do?"

"First off, when the charm wears off, this flat will return to the state it is in now. But what happens, is that it lifts traces of magic on anything that was touched by it. Everything appears to be like it was before the incident. And then the real fun starts."

Harry watched in awe as Draco unfolded the parchment, releasing a small wisp of pale purple smoke. The smoke expanded, clouding their vision, until suddenly, it disappeared. The flat, whereas it had been destroyed before, was now looking almost as if nothing had happened.

"Why on earth do you have something like this, Draco?"

He paused before answering. "When I first left Malfoy Manor, my parents didn't know that I was gone at all. I had something like this that lasted nearly a month, and they were under suspicions that I'd just been avoiding them all that time. I'd taken most of my belongings from my room, but it looked as if I had just left it because I used _wingardium leviosa _to move everything."

"That's... Harry smoothed his hand over a portion of wall that was previously black, and now the white it had been originally. "That's brilliant, Draco. Really brilliant. The ministry would pay a fortune for something like this - we could keep close watch on old Death Eaters and..." Sensing a touchy subject, he stopped. "But really Draco. Nice work. One issue, though."

The flat was not entirely perfect as it was before. There were just a few things out of place - the broken twentieth story window, one upturned drawer, and a bottle of ink spilled over pieces of parchment on his desk. The window was the only thing too out of place. Draco stepped towards the desk and drawer, just a foot apart.

"Someone was trying to write something - I don't know what. But I keep my ink sealed, in that drawer - that's the only one pulled out by hand. I can't read any of the parchment, it's been ruined."

"I think I can help with that. Hermione used to do this one when Ron spilled ink on his essays..." Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the paper, siphoning off the spill. When he did, however, there were no words left.

"This would have left anything someone had written. I don't understand."

"Neither do I. But we aren't going to find anything here. Let's get back, it's been nearly three hours. The girls must be getting back soon."

Harry shot him a look. "Have you ever been shopping with women?"

"Hermione and I shop all the time. She hates it."

"She's going to hate today, then. Ginny can disappear for hours, just browsing."

"We'll pick them up on the way."

* * *

Hermione settled into his side, breathing in his scent.

"I missed you today. I was worried sick about everything and Ginny could have gone on all day."

"Harry told me, that's why we came to 'meet up for dinner'."

She swatted his arm, but kept her hand there. "It wasn't that bad, really. What did the two of you do?"

"Went to the flat."

She jumped, then looked at him. "Draco you can't, it's not safe!"

"It's not safe to stay here very long either. Whoever it was, if they're serious about finding us, they will."

"And Harry and Ginny... I suppose you're right. We have to figure this out, or else disappear for a while, or... I don't even know. For once, I have no plan."

"Neither do it. But look, Hermione, Harry and I found something today..."

He filled her in on the details and she cuddled back into him. "That is strange. It probably has something to do with who it was, or something. We'll discuss it more tomorrow, I'm exhausted... Ginny made me try things on all afternoon, it felt like shopping with you..."

"Well, did you get anything?"

"A few things, but, nothing big really..."

"I want to see it."

Her face flushed,and she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Ah, so it's not really clothes, is it?"

"Well, it's what I might wear under clothes... or without clothes."

"You realize this bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from theirs? I wonder why that is..."

"It was convenient, I suppose..."

"And possibly planned..."

"If you're trying to figure out if they know we've slept together, they do. Well, Harry does. I told him. When Astoria leaked the photographs... it just happened."

"Alright. But Ginny doesn't?"

"No, she'd have said something by now... in fact, I think she took me shopping for this to hint that I should."

"Good. She'd probably hex me into next week. Now, about today's purchases..."

She laughed, slipping into the attached bathroom to put on the raciest item she'd purchased. When she stepped out to show Draco, his jaw dropped.

"Well, Miss Granger... it's been a rough few days. Why don't you let me work all of that out for you?"

She giggled and hopped into bed. It had been a long day, but it was going to be an even longer night.

* * *

**AN: Kind of a slow chapter, I apologize... things will pick up again next chapter in a few ways! Some more of this newest mystery, a reply from Blaise, and a bit of lemon... I realize it's been quite a few chapters. Look for an update in a day or two! And an update of The Eighth Year, hopefully! Plus AVMC2, and La Bella Luna... it's going to be back to my old, quick updates! Yay! Please review, I'd love to hear from you all again!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm having a bit of trouble writing out the mystery that's going on, so I'll include small bits plus something that I've been waiting to write for a while... muahahha. Enjoy!**

In the days that had passed, nearly two weeks, Draco nor muggle police nor Aurors could find any more leads as to what may have happened in their apartment, or if the visitor was Blaise at all. Draco had never received a response, and he'd been worrying about his best friend so much that he sometimes couldn't concentrate. He and Hermione were still staying in the spare room at Potter's, and Draco couldn't have been more grateful to the man he'd despised so much in his childhood. Draco insisted that he assist in paying for groceries, and on more than one occasion even had to shop for them while Hermione was with Ginny. Today was one of those days. Potter trailed behind, pushing the basket that was half full of food. Draco read things off a long list that Ginny had written up, having become an excellent chef like her mother. Today's would include said Mrs. Weasley, plus the rest of the Weasley clan. Draco was not happy about this in the slightest, but it was Molly's birthday, and the idea was to give her a night off her feet and a nice family meal.

"Mate, do you think Ron will be around?" Draco turned to face Harry, who was so surprised at being called mate that he almost forgot what he'd been asked.

"I suppose so. He's had to move back with his parents... I don't know if he knows that she'll be there though... or that you will."

Draco grimaced. Most of the Weasleys, at least, knew he would be in attendance. Though they were not all to the point of accepting him yet, they hadn't denied coming. In fact, Molly Weasley had made a point of asking Harry if he'd be there.

"Right. Well, Molly made sure to invite me. I'm just hoping she's told him. I'd really hate for him to faint at the table. Are you two still, er, close friends?"

Harry looked at his feet. It was a problem he'd been dealing with from the beginning - he knew what Ron had done, and when Hermione had let out that it hadn't just been a one time mistake, he didn't know what to think of his best friend. They were a trio, not just Ron and Harry plus Hermione. And that meant that if Ron was unfaithful to Hermione... well, Harry could remember the confusion, rage, and distrust he'd felt towards his friend then. '

"We still try. He comes by every week or two, but after he cheated on 'Mione... things changed. He knows that I can't just forgive him - she's like the sister I never had."

Draco knew he had hit a touchy subject and continued elsewhere. "Right. Ginny wrote down 'Shallots', do you've any idea what the hell those are?"

"She's made me pick them up before. Come on."

* * *

The table was set, the shallots were used, and Draco was forced to put on his favorite black dress shirt and emerald tie. When he emerged from the spare bedroom to find Harry in a similar black shirt and red tie, they laughed. Old habits...

Ginny and Hermione were fretting away in the kitchen. While Hermione was admittedly not the best cook in the household, or any household for that matter, she still sported an apron over her cocktail dress as Ginny did. The men checked on them, then set about cleaning the house a little and discussing the same thing they'd been discussing for weeks - the break in. When at last there came a knock at the door, Harry greeted the visitors with hugs and greetings, ushering them into the sitting room where Draco sat in an armchair, quite alone.

Molly was the first to acknowledge him - she patted him on the shoulder and asked him if he was doing alright after everything that happened. He simply nodded and smiled - he'd seen Mrs. Weasley dueling, in action, and it still intimidated him a bit. The rest of the family filed in, most acknowledged his existence, and some didn't. The last member in was Ron, he heard the voice before he saw him. He was telling Harry about something that had been going on in the Auror department that he'd missed that day because of all this planning. He'd said something about a dark artifact from a few decades ago before he rounded the corner and saw Draco.

They hadn't seen each other since the war, and Draco had to admit he almost would have liked the look on face then better than the one he wore now. Ron's face was so full of surprise and disgust that it was a wonder he didn't stun Draco on the spot. Molly, however - who had taken the seat next to Draco - was eyeing him intently, most likely being the only thing that stopped an immediate attack. Draco didn't, couldnt find anyhing to say. He turned his head, looking instead down to his plate.

Of course Ron would harbor negative feelings - Draco was with his ex-wife, the woman he'd loved. But to Draco, of course, this was pointless - Ron had known full well what he was getting himself into when he cheated on Hermione, and he'd had to pay the price.

* * *

Dinner had been less than awkward, more than delicious. Draco had been getting used to Ginny's cooking, and it was a vast improvement to where Hermione's was. He chuckled to himself absentmindedly. He loved that about her. Ron stayed silent nearly the entire night, Harry filled gaps in conversation, and everyone talked plenty about Mrs. Weasley and how much she cared for her family. Not long after everyone left, Harry came to find Draco.

"I've got an idea. Did you ever look around the window?"

"Not particularly, it was the odd thing out..."

"Which is why we should check that now. Something could have been thrown out, or someone could have jumped out and dropped something, there could be something to tell us who was there that night."

"You might be right, Potter. Let's go have a look."

There was not, immediately, anything that caught their eye. Nothing was on the ground under the window, inside or out of the apartment building. Even more puzzled, Harry set out to return home - but before they could apparate back, Draco noticed something oddly colored in the tree outside the window. He pulled out his wand, attempting to summon the object, but he did not know what it was. He reached through the window, extending his arm as far as it went. He cut himself slightly on the broken glass but made no move to pull back - this could be the piece of the puzzle to fit everything together.

It was a small scroll of parchment, tied with a shoelace. Come to think of it, Draco had noticed a missing lace on an old pair of trainers. He slid it off quickly, unrolling it to find a short note from Blaise Zabini.

Draco - Visitor was not me. I'm being targetted as well. Watch yourself. -Blaise.

So the broken window, then, wasn't Blaise. Perhaps it had just been an accident by the attacker? Draco pushed it from his mind. He was relieved - his best friend was alright. In the same situation, but alright. He'd have to visit him as soon as possible. Perhaps now.

"Potter. We're going to see Blaise. Same thing happened to him. And I'm going to figure this out, somehow."

Harry nodded, standing next to Draco. "I'll help you. However I can." The pair apparated to Blaise's flat, a strange feeling attached to them both.


	16. Chapter 16

"So, it wasn't you who broke the window?" Draco stood again to pace in front of Blaise, seated comfortably in an arm chair but looking entirely uncomfortable.

"No. I've been in hiding for days. I only came out long enough to drop the letter, came back in. I've got so many wards on this place, it would take old Voldy himself a few hours to get in."

"I'd expect nothing less." As Draco relayed the story of the visitor in greater detail, Harry put several things through his mind.

"Draco, you don't think it could be your parents, could it?"

Draco, who was midsentence with Blaise about their second search of the apartment, was stopped momentarily to think.

"I don't think so. My mother doesn't have the heart to wreck anything. My father is in such a deteriorated state he couldn't lift a hand. And I can't think of anyone else still alive who would do anything such as."

In just a few more minutes, Harry had another interruption.

"What if he was imperiused?"

Draco turned now, and nodded. "It's definitely possible. Blaise wouldn't remember coming to the flat if he'd been put under Imperius. But it also could have been Polyjuice Potion. He was speaking a bit when he was there, and if he was imperiused, it wouldn't have worked out like that. People under the Imperius curse tend to be quiet and obedient."

"That's probably it - Polyjuice." Harry joined the two on the other side of the enormous parlor, sitting himself in a chair beside Blaise. "But Blaise, who would have access to some part of you if you haven't left? And more importantly, what makes you think you were under attack too? I mean, I can see that your entry hall is in a mess still..."

A strange look formed on Blaise's face, as if he was terrified to speak of what had happened. He looked from Draco to Harry, and then back again.

"That's what makes this so strange, Draco. Right before someone wrecked my place, you showed up."

"But... I didn't."

"Exactly. But I didn't know it wasn't you until you told me _you'd_ been attacked."

Harry stood again, pacing, and Draco watched him try and sort the details in his head. "Whoever it was, they targeted the both of you specifically. They're trying to trick you, but not just into leaving the house or thinking you've been visited by a friend - I get the feeling something much bigger than this is happening."

"As do I." Blaise stood now, wrapping a blanket tighter around himself. "But all of this talking has gotten me exhausted. I've been by myself for a while, visitors are unusual. Come back in a few days, I want to send a few people to check on a few things. Good night, both of you."

Blaise left immediately, leaving the two of them alone in the still, quiet sitting room.

"What do we do next?"

Draco stood, brushing himself off. "We have to find out who would have access to both Blaise and I. They'd have to have hair, or something, so that they could make the Polyjuice Potion. I assume you would know that."

Harry laughed suddenly, aware of the irony of the statement. "More than you know." A vague memory of his first memory of Polyjuice Potion in second year came to surface, then washed away. "But who might have that kind of access?"

Draco could think of only a few people, and none of them made sense. He had a witch come in and straighten up his flat once a week. Hermione was always there.

"I have a feeling this person went through a lot of trouble to get these things - sneaking in while I was gone, maybe? Imperius someone in charge of the flat to open it?"

"It's all possible. I'm just worried about Hermione."

It was plain on Harry's face that he spoke the truth, and the sudden worry in Potter was a shock to Malfoy, compared to the sleuth of the last hour.

"I am too, Harry. And I'm worried about Blaise. Whoever this is, they're tricking us into letting them into our homes, they're wrecking everything, and they could do much worse. But believe me - I'm never leaving Hermione alone. She's with Ginny now, and if my memory serves me right, she's an excellent duelist. I've had bruises to prove it. Otherwise, Hermione's with yourself or me." They apparated back to Harry's home.

"Yes, I suppose. She's just... really special to me, d'you know what I mean?"

He didn't, but he didn't want to ask. Of course she'd be his best friend, but Harry's tone of speaking implied that perhaps, in their younger days, there was something more to their relationship. Draco didn't want to know about any of it, so he simply nodded. He'd figured as much, anyway.

"Of course. She's really an amazing woman."

"I just want us to get all of this solved before something happens to her. And if something does... what if the muggles find out? It could compromise the entire wizarding world. She's a pretty prominent figure in both, I see."

"She is. That's partially my fault. We'll settle this, and no harm is going to come to anyone."

A voice rang from the kitchen. "Harm will come to anyone who tracks mud into my house, make sure your shoes are clean!" The two men shared a laugh. _Women._

Hermione didn't want to go at all, but it seemed she had no choice. There was a gala event in the wizarding world, celebrating five years since the end of the war. It wasn't exactly as if she or Harry could miss it, and as neither Draco or Ginny wanted to spend the evening alone or alone with the other, they were obliged to go as well. Hermione spent the afternoon putting up protection on the house.

"People will expect that we're here. I have nowhere else to go. I can't let Harry and Ginny's home be attacked - or worse."

Draco stifled a laugh behind her, stepping in to wrap his arms around her waist. "Let me take care of this. You get ready."

She turned to eye him, and finally accepted his offer, walking to the closet to pick one of the gowns Draco had picked for her to choose from. As most of their formal attire was still at the flat, he'd had to buy all new things today - after figuring out that it was Polyjuice, he felt rather odd about walking into the flat. Draco set the appropriate wards and set himself to get ready, joining Harry in the sitting room not long after.

"At least I've got you now to talk with, Potter. The women... they take a bit longer to get ready than we do."

"Oh, don't I know that. Firewhiskey?"

"I'll need at least a little to get me through this."

"Yeah, me too." Harry conjured two classes and a bottle, pouring a small amount for each of them. "Cheers." They clinked glasses and tilted back, fire climbing into each of them.

"Ugh. Always gets me." Draco dabbed at his lip with his sleeve. "Stuff is strong."

"The strongest. They want me to give a speech tonight. I'm not great with public speaking."

"I didn't think you were."

"I don't know what they want me to say. 'Go us?' I mean, am I supposed to go on up there and make some grand rambling about how great it was to run around the country for a year, searching for trinkets and fighting Voldemort? Because it wasn't great at all. And I can't say that, or I look like I'm trying to get more sympathy."

"It's a fine balance, Harry. Take it from me."

Harry took another swig of Firewhiskey and turned to Draco. "Maybe I should take it from you. Draco, you've always been good at that kind of thing. Help me out here."

He thought for only a moment. Harry had taken him into his home and was attempting to solve this mystery, side by side. That alone was enough, but the mercy that Harry had shown him on the day of the final battle didn't hurt his case either. For a childhood enemy, he sure had done a lot of saving his own life.

"Of course." And it was only in the next few minutes, while Draco wrote out a simple, tasteful speech that he came to fully appreciate everything Harry had done for him over the years, despite family, friends, house biases, and a nearly-deadly duel in sixth year. They were friends, to say the least.

* * *

Harry's speech went over quite well, thanks to Draco's magnificent way with words. The audience clapped and cheered, and the frivolities were quickly starting - drinking, laughing, and general reminiscing about wartime filled the room as food filled the plates before them. Harry was just in the middle of telling a rather old wizard what had happened in the final moments when Hermione cleared her throat.

"I'm just going to the ladies room, don't mind me." Draco watched as she sashayed to the restrooms, her elegant pale gold dress trailing slightly behind her. She was gorgeous. He was then again made aware of Harry finishing one of many tales he'd told that night, and the first course was cleared.

Ginny helped herself to a steak on a platter and sighed. "I do hope Hermione gets back soon, Draco. Harry's busy talking to everyone and I feel quite lonely."

"She'll be back quickly. She always is."

And as if on cue, she sat down between them both and began eating.

"I'm glad I got back in time for the second course, there was a short line at the ladies room, it did take a few minutes..."

"Not to worry, dear." He kissed her cheek. "But Harry's been busy, why don't you switch seats with me and converse with Ginny as well?" She agreed, and the women began talking. Not more than five minutes later, Ginny's face began to take on an odd look. Not frightened, not confused, but some sort of mild cross between the two. Draco noticed but said nothing, choosing instead to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"But did he tell you anything else out of the ordinary? Anything missing?"

"Harry didn't tell me anything about it, just that it was a mess. You should have known, you were there when the both of you first walked in... are you feeling alright, 'Mione?"

"Well of course I am, and of course I was there, it just seems to have slipped my memory..."

Draco now understood the meaning of Ginny's worried face - Hermione was acting quite strange. She never forgot anything, he knew that by experience, and yet here she was acting like she'd been confunded. Perhaps she had. But upon waiting, he noticed a few other odd sorts of things with her. Firstly, her manner of speaking was less intelligent than normal. Also, she didn't cross her legs, which Draco knew for certain was something she _always_ did when sitting. And the most peculiar yet was that it seemed like she'd lost her memory entirely...

Draco turned to her and smiled. "Hermione, dear, I'm afraid my memory's slipping as well. I've two things to ask you. What was the name of that restaurant we went to, that first night we went out and the pictures all came out?"

She tilted her head for a moment and responded with the correct name. He nodded, then asked another. "What about the store where we bought that dress? It looks magnificent and I'd love to get you something else similar for the event next Friday..." He smiled slightly. She couldn't forget Friday. It was her birthday, and they were having a small dinner party at Harry and Ginny's, an occurrence at which a formal evening gown would look ridiculous. If she couldn't figure this out, there was something seriously wrong, or else this wasn't Hermione at all.

"I believe it was Bloomingdale's, darling. And it would look quite nice next Friday, I daresay your actor friends would enjoy it."

In an instant, his wand and Ginny's were out, pointed at the fake Hermione.

"Where is she?" Draco was in the person's face, and it did nothing but cackle and glare at him. "Draco, dearest, what _are_ you talking about? You know it's me!"

"Liar. There is no muggle event next Friday. If you were Hermione, you'd know that it's her own birthday and that a formal dress would be way over the top for the plans we had. I'll ask you one more time. Where is Hermione Granger?"

Faces all around the room were now focused directly on them, a number of them shocked and surprised. What on earth could be going on that required such shouting?

"I wouldn't tell you, boy, even if you would kill me."

"Perhaps I will, or I might let Ginny do it as well. You're surrounded on all sides." He placed a hand on her shoulder, but it was not hers. Ginny put a hand around the arm.

"That's perfectly acceptable, though I'm sure there would be a number of people very angry with you if you did. I do find this situation ironic, though. You'd understand why if you knew."

And with that, she shoved Draco hard away from her, and apparated on the spot. It was only a moment later, after Harry shouted in surprise and fear, that Draco realized that Ginny's small hand had still been around the imposters arm, and that she'd been apparated along with whoever it was impersonating the one Draco loved.

* * *

The partygoers were rushed to evacuate the building, and it was not until Draco had returned with Harry to his house that the full weight of the situation hit him - not only was Hermione gone, but Ginny had put herself in extreme danger to help solve the mystery of what had been happening around them all this time, and wherever Hermione was. Harry was nearly tearing out his hair until he dragged Draco into the sitting room, sitting to face him.

"Right. Hermione was Polyjuiced, as you and Blaise had been. Ginny put her arm on whoever it was, and apparated with them. When could Hermione have changed?"

"I'm not certain about that. She was certainly not herself after the bathroom, but it was only until she sat beside Ginny that she started asking questions."

"Could it have been when she went to the restroom?"

"No. Hermione's actual body would be left behind, and security had checked, she wasn't anywhere."

"Right. So it was before we got there. We were all together on the way there. And we were all together when we left."

"Nobody was with her when she changed. It was here."

The pair jumped up and searched the house, but found nothing.

"Right. She's not here, but whoever it was could have taken Hermione with them, to keep us from noticing."

"Nice work finding it out, by the way. I only caught wind of something strange when you started asking questions."

"Ginny knew it a few minutes before I did, she made eye contact with me while the impostor looked down at something."

"She's rather smart, I do like that. But her quick thinking now has her missing. And seeing as she's not back here yet, she's trapped somewhere that she can't apparate."

Draco's face and mind went almost blank. He knew of only two places in existence where this was possible - inside Hogwarts, and in the dark dungeon-like basement in his old family Manor."

"It's my family. They have her."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. And you know the lower level - it's escape proof."

"I just hope Hermione's not in as much danger as she was last time. Let's go."

"She's in worse. I know it. And Ginny may be the same."

Harry's face went slack, and Draco knew he was being reminded of the shrieks and yells that had come from one of his best friends while she'd been tortured.

"Harry, wait one second. I'm going to owl Kingsley and tell him what's been going on. He'll need to know, and hopefully Aurors can make it in time to help us help the girls."

Harry turned to him. "I know one Auror I can call in no time. I'll use the telephone."

Draco must have looked curious, but Harry took no notice, picking up the phone and dialing a number. Within moments, Harry looked relieved.

"Ron. Someone's taken Hermione and Ginny. And I need your help. Draco needs your help. The girls need you. Get here, three seconds ago."

And with a pop, Ron Weasley's presence was made in Harry's sitting room, an unhumanly angry look on his face.

"Whatever you've done to get here in this, Draco Malfoy, I'm going to kill you for it."

Harry stepped between them. "Ron, this is not his fault. Someone kidnapped Hermione and polyjuiced her, and Ginny went along with the apparition to keep track of where Hermione might be. She hasn't apparated back so we're assuming she can't. Draco thinks they're at his parents house."

Ron glared past Harry at Draco, but his grimace fell quickly. "We don't have time to be mad, though I want to. Draco, get us there. Now." And with a crack, all three of them were in front of the tall, pale gates of Malfoy Manor.

* * *

**AN: WHEW. A lot in this chapter, though it's not terribly long. I needed to shoot it off in the right direction, and here it is. Yes, I know pretty much everyone knew Draco's family was in the middle of this - but you're going to find out who the real mastermind is behind it all, and it's going to be a bit of a shock. Bwahaha. I'll update again soon, I promise, sorry for the delay. Review! Thanks!**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: To be quite honest, most of you who follow my fics know that I write whatever comes to mind. I don't plan it out, I very rarely write any sort of storyline plan at all before I begin. I let the story tell itself out, I just write what feels right. Unfortunately, I've written myself into a corner. This is most definitely the reason it has taken me so long to update this story. It's one of my most popular, and I know many of you are shaking your heads at my pathetic drop in updates, but here goes nothing. After the current mystery is solved, I'll write an informative but quick epilogue and then this story will be done. **

**HOWEVER. I'm writing another good Dramione soon after this, and I'm still not done with AVMC2, so you'll have your Dramione fill from me for as long as you'd like once this one is over. I have to say, I was not a Dramione shipper when I started reading fanfic. I was repulsed by the idea. Then again, I started reading fics before the seventh book came out. And the seventh book just changed so much for me that I can't even begin to explain it. I am Harry Potter obsessed. And this is what has become of it. It's a little "lion fell in love with the lamb". I'm pathetic. Enjoy.**

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This trio standing before Malfoy Manor was unlike any their world could have conceived before. Two members of the Golden Trio - the Boy Who Lived and his 'trusty sidekick' type and best friend, Ronald Weasley, along with whom? Their childhoon enemy. The boy who had made Hogwarts, at times, unbearably terrible for them. Just a few years previous, the remaining member of the Golden Trio was locked inside this manor and tortured, her piercing screams filling the night sky around them and flooding the underground chamber where she and Ginny were surely being kept. The tables had turned for Draco, still young but definitely not as naive and obedient to his parents as he had once been. He'd been sure, after the war, that his families alliances - while not completely different - had dimmed down slightly. Now that Voldemort was gone, now that their strive for power was over, Draco could have only hoped that he and Hermione could live on in peace.

Things never seemed to work out that way, for any of them. Ever.

Draco pointed his wand at the keyhole just below eye level and recited his own name. The gates groaned once, twice, then opened slowly to allow them entrance to the grounds. The distance of the long walk was covered in just a few seconds, the whole of them running their fastest to save the lives of those they loved dearest. When Draco reached to turn the knob, however, it burned him.

"She's put up protection. If I'm not mistaken, this is not the only bit, and it's going to be dangerous - and possible fatal - to continue." He looked at the two on either side of him. "We could die, saving them."

Harry stepped forward first. "I've already done the 'sacrificing my life' thing once before, it worked out fine. I'm in." Ron nodded and followed.

"Alright then. Harry - you're going to go around to that window there - see it on the right? It's the window in my father's old study, and the only window she leaves mostly unprotected for her own escape if something goes wrong. Check for anything strange, and open it. I'll climb in."

Ron shook his head. "Why is Harry checking this possibly cursed window if you're supposedly climbing in?"

"I can get myself through and I can navigate this house with my eyes closed. I lived here. But I can't get my hands to stop shaking long enough to do much of anything."

As Harry and Ron looked down, they did notice Draco's hands shaking terribly. Harry started off the porch. "I'll do it. Ron, keep watch, Draco be ready."

Within seconds, Draco was inside the house, to the front, and opening the door.

"She never figures anyone would know the secret except family. I guess it slipped her mind."

"Draco, who would you be referring to as _her_?"

"My mother, of course. At first I doubted she could do anything like this, but her blood prejudice was just as bad as my fathers on most days, and she's not exactly happy with what I've done with my life, I'm guessing. With my father bedridden, Bellatrix long gone... I can only imagine whoever she's had helping her."

They were almost to the large sitting room now, the glow of the fireplace was getting warmer and brighter. Draco found his mother sitting in her favorite armchair, eyes closed and a slight smile on her face.

"Come to visit your mother, Draco?"

"Where are they?"

"You know where they are. I just assumed you'd know that, since they can't apparate..."

His mother's accuracy froze him in his tracks. She knew every detail of her own plan, as well as the reasoning behind their own.

"Why have you taken them?"

"You know why I've taken them, why I'm keeping them, and what I plan on doing with them. Honestly, Draco. Mum taught you better than that. Your father did as well, and if it weren't for his current state, you'd have to duel him as well..."

"I'm not going to fight you, mother. It doesn't need to be like this."

"Then you expect me to just hand them over? Really, darling, you're not that thick, I know."

"You're telling me I have to duel you - and possibly kill you - to save the girls?"

"And I'll possibly have to kill you to stop you from this mudblood loving bullshit. Yes."

Harry and Ron stood astounded in the back of the room until Draco spoke to them. "Ron, get back outside and remove the wards around the house somehow, all of them. Harry, owl the ministry."

Narcissa laughed. "You think you're going to take me on, all by yourself?"

"This is my fight. The both of you, leave. Come back when it sounds like someone is dead."

The two men backed out of the room slowly, then turned and ran towards the far window of the study. Draco stared at his mother, who finally rose from her chair and pulled her wand from her sleeve.

"Draco, darling. I don't understand where your father and I went wrong. We worked hard to keep you smart, to make sure that you knew that meddling around with anyone other than purebloods was sure to be a disaster. You're learning your lesson now, aren't you? I had the strangest feeling, after the war, that something such as this would happen. That you assumed that your father and I's quiet acceptance of the loss of the war meant we'd go soft on bloodtraitors. We've never gone soft on bloodtraitors, dear Draco, and I will not go soft on you. _Crucio!" _

Draco felt the pain lift him off the ground, and slam him back down. He had landed just behind a rather large chair and took a split second to right himself and hide. His mother was not going to be merciful. His mother was going to try and kill him. He thought of Hermione in the low basement chamber where she was surely being kept with Ginny - though the state of them was questionable. Just thinking of what might have happened to them since they'd been kidnapped - it had been nearly six hours since the gala, in which any number of things could have happened - lit a rage inside him. He rolled out from behind the chair and sent a well-aimed curse flying at his mother - his own mother. Before he could find the safety of the couch, however, she hit him with another. He balled up behind the couch and hoped that he could finish his mother off before it went the other way around. He heard one of the others coming back in - most likely Harry - and for a moment, he hoped that Harry wouldn't see him hiding behind the couch. Where was the Malfoy from their school days?

As his mother had not come around to find him, he took a moment to think. And really, where _was_ the Malfoy from those years? The Malfoy from those years, surely, was a prat. But he was also loyal and strong. He had wept when Crabbe had died. He would have given anything to bring his dear friend back, despite his careless attitude. If anyone had gone after a friend of his, he definitely would have fought back. He wouldn't have hidden behind a couch. However, the old Draco would have been too proud to ask for help, whereas this one wasn't. His mother was, despite her delicate figure and such, a rather good witch. It was going to take two of them to finish her. 'Finish her' - like it was that easy that he was about to murder his own mother.

He had no other option. It was quiet in the sitting room. Harry would assume the duel was already over, and be ready to fight in case Draco had fallen. He heard the footsteps again and turned his head slightly to see Harry running full speed towards him, wand drawn. He jumped behind the couch with Draco.

"Why are you behind a couch?"

"She's good at this, Harry. She's had more experience. And she's quick. I couldn't do it - not alone." The understanding was clear in his friends eyes - they were teaming up, together, for one of the most important battles since the war. And for the first real battle they'd been on the same side. It took only a nod from Harry, and the two jumped from behind the couch, firing spells and jinxes, curses and everything they could think of. Narcissa dueled well, and she held them off for nearly half an hour. The three of them were getting tired as Ron then returned, also thinking the duel was over. He pulled his wand, but not before yelling out the line to finally end everything.

"You've got my sister - and my first and only love - trapped in that basement - and whatever you've done to them - I'm going to kill you for it! Avada Kedavra!"

The three men stopped and stared in awe as Ron, the unexpected hero, flicked his wand so hard he dropped it, but not before a jet of green hit Narcissa Malfoy square in the head. Her thin body gave one last shudder and collapsed on itself, her form nothing more than a tangle of arms and legs.

Harry's was the first jaw to drop, then Dracos. Harry was also the first to speak.

"Ron, that was... perfect timing, to start, but also the hardest I've ever seen you cast anything."

Ron did not speak, only stared dumbfounded at the body of Narcissa. "Am I going to Azkaban for this?"

Draco flicked his wand and a blanket covered her still figure. "I think not. I'll tell Shacklebolt myself - she was trying to kill all of us. She had the girls locked up. Speaking of..."

Draco ran down a hallway and the others followed him to the large door leading down to the basement. He threw it open to complete blackness.

"Hermione? Ginny?"

Ginny's voice came, but it was the only one. "Hermione's here too. But she's unconscious. She's breathing, that's all I know." The three men cast lumos at the same time, a smile barely curling up on Draco's lips before he saw Hermione's motionless form on the floor and rushed to it.

"I'm taking her to St. Mungo's. Harry and Ron, get Ginny and take her, and call the ministry - don't waste time with an owl. Tell them to send someone here and someone to meet us there. I'll give them my statement and it should all be settled." He rushed up the stairs and out of the basement, Hermione in his arms.

Draco disappeared with a crack, and the pull in his stomach was painful, but he was eternally grateful for it.

* * *

"Mr. Malfoy. I must say under the circumstances, it is very good to see you." Kingsley Shacklebolt, in a set of robes the color of a clear night sky, shook Draco's hand and sat beside him.

"I understand that your mother has been killed. And that you are not pressing charges on Mr. Weasley?"

"I'm prepared to give my statement, if you want it."

"I don't just want it, I'd love to hear what kind of ridiculous thing you've all gotten yourselves into again." Kingsley's face broke out in a wide smile. "You must understand, even for the Ministry, we never have cases like this. They actually want _me_ to get your statement. It's that big."

"Have they sent someone to the manor?"

"There is already a team there taking care of things. Your father has deteriorated beyond speech, he's now in a room upstairs if you care to see him later."

"Possibly. You ready for my statement?"

"As I'll ever be."

Draco gave his account of the things that had happened, starting with the apartment mess and even including the bits about Astoria months previous.

"What I don't understand, minister, is how the manor still belonged to my family. I thought I'd sold it. I got the money for it. The realtor couldn't understand why I wanted to sell it."

"Most likely, you attempted to sell it and your parents found out. Your father was too sick to care already, and your mother probably threw a fit. I'm assuming she imperiused the realtor into falsely completeing the sale, to make you believe the manor would be passed on to someone else. Think, Draco. She could keep on without you ever guessing."

"What she didn't count on was me remembering the basement bit. That and Hogwarts are the only two places I know of that you can't apparate within."

"Precisely. In a way, she trapped herself. I'll bring your statement into the ministry. Ron will not be charged as long as you choose not to charge him."

"That won't be necessary. He saved all of our lives." It wasn't until Draco said it that he himself believed it. "If you excuse me, I'm going to find him now."

He looked in Ginny's room, but found only Harry. "Potter. Seen Weasley?"

"He said he was going to walk around. I have no idea where." Draco stayed around a moment to make sure Ginny was alright and then walked the halls for a moment before going to Hermione's room. Through the window he could see a shock of ginger hair, which meant that he'd found Ron. The door was ajar but Draco didn't feel like barging in on Ron's time - he deserved a few minutes, at the very least. He sat in a chair beside the door before he heard speaking, realizing that he must have come by at a lull in conversation.

"What I don't get it how you killed her, Ron. That's murder."

"She was trying to kill all of us, 'Mione. And if you don't remember, she'd locked you and Ginny in a basement and intended on killing the both of you, I'm sure."

"I suppose. How are you feeling about it?"

"The only thing I'm feeling is worry for the both of you. And grateful that Draco thought of where you would be so quickly. If he hadn't... and Narcissa got bored, or something. I can't even think of what might have happened."

"Don't think that way, Ron. It's over now. We're safe."

Hermione was apparently awake, as she hadn't been before. Draco listened closer. There were a few minutes of silence.

"I think the final think that pushed me to say it - to kill her - was not just that it was you and Ginny down there. I would have done it for that too. But I never really... apologized for what happened. For what I did."

"Ron, you've more than made up for it now, we'd probably be dead without you."

"Just, hear me out okay?"

"I suppose I owe you at least that."

"I'm not going to blame it on her - she came on to me, but I could have pushed her away easily. And I know this isn't exactly the same thing, but I'm sure you know what it felt like to be with Draco after you left me - it was a thrill. Someone else, after we'd been each other's only for so long..."

"I do know. It's.. like nothing else."

"And I'm not using that as an excuse. But it pulled me in, you know? And we hadn't really... you know. In a while. Things had been falling apart for a while, we both know that. I wasn't as attentive as before, and you were drifting, and I was bitter. It was my own fault, really, and then I had to go mess things up even more."

Draco sat stone still. Ron was being completely honest. Yes, it made him look like a complete ass in the process, but he was apologizing. And Draco, despite wanting to walk into the room and beat Weasel to a pulp, was glad at least for two things - that he saved his life, and that he was making a genuine effort to apologize. Draco listened to the rest of the apology, and then to Hermione's acceptance and forgiveness to Ron. Hermione was like that - forgiving to those who had wronged her so badly in life. He couldn't consider it a bad quality - if she hadn't been, none of this would have happened. The bad, or the wonderful. She'd forgiven Draco himself for years of torment and torture. And now, they'd been dating, they'd moved in together...

It was with a start that Draco realized they'd missed an important milestone. While he'd thought to himself that they loved each other, he realized that over the past few months, they hadn't yet said it. A grin spread on his face as the door beside him opened.

"Malfoy."

His smile fell and he turned to Ron.

"Weasley."

"How long were you sitting out here?"

"I heard the apology. And bravo."

"Thanks. I guess you'd have heard about it anyway. I just don't like Hermione and I being not even friends. She's been one of my best friends since our first year. I missed her."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, Ron. You need some rest and some water. I talked to Kingsley, and as I'm not pressing charges against you for being the one to kill my mother, you're fine. They sent Kingsley himself to get my statement, the case seemed that strange.

"It just made sense at the time, didn't it though? Like, I had to do it. Of course."

"The ministry will never understand the dealings of you and your friends."

"Draco, by now it's of _us_ and _our_ friends. Remember that." And even after Ron left and Draco stood to visit Hermione, the line rang in his head. Perhaps he could forgive Weasley as well, under the strangest circumstances in existence. And perhaps, in the next day or so that Hermione would surely be held at St. Mungo's, he could come up with an acceptable romantic evening to tell her, finally, that he loved her.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Well, I have good news and bad news. I'll start with the one you won't really like much, but you'll need to hear it first anyway - this is the second to last chapter of Take Two. This was technically two short fics pushed together that a lot of people really enjoyed, and I've had loads of fun writing it and seeing everyone's reactions - it is, to date, one of my favorite fics I've ever written. Sadly though, there isn't really anywhere else for it to go. I'll post another chapter finishing up the story and a quick but saccharine sweet epilogue. That is, to tide you off until the good news comes around - my next Dramione. I'll be posting the first chapter some time tonight or some time tomorrow, because I can't live long without spewing my love for this ship all over pages and pages of fics. The summary is on my profile but doesn't do the story justice. It's going to be cute, it really is, with a little bit of angsty goodness and a bit of lemon. I'm really excited for it. I'm also starting two H/Hr fics soon, if any of you are into that kinda thing. Anyway, here goes the general resolution of all this. The epilogue will be up in a day or two or three. I really want to thank you all for sticking with this fic, even through my absence. Loyal readers like you mean the world to me, and I've been so thrilled about the positive response to my return. This chapter will be especially long, all for you. Enjoy! **

Draco slid his fingers in between hers, the soft skin beside his own callused digits comforting him at once. It was ridiculous, he thought, that even after everything they'd been through, he still had a difficult time stepping into Diagon Alley. For Merlin's sake, he'd been in muggle films and given lengthy speeches, and none of it was as nerve-wracking as stepping through that very door. It had been like this since he was young, but different. In those years it had been nerves at possibly seeing people he hadn't seen in months, at possibly having to shoot an insult at the trio while simultaneously _not_ hiding behind his mother's shoulder. _Everyone _was nervous for a new school year. Draco was never an exception to that.

The public's affections towards him were not as they were before - whereas before he saw looks of utter disgust and repulsion, now he expected something different. The story had been leaked, of course. The entire wizarding world knew that Draco had a hand in ending his own mother's life to save the lives of Hermione and Ginny, and to help protect Harry and Ron as well. The public couldn't be more shocked, but every Rita Skeeter-follower and gossip monger in town couldn't help but secretly be pleased - who didn't enjoy hearing tales of a reformed bad boy? Especially when it was all centered around his childhood enemies, and one of his parent's biggest enemies of all?

She squeezed his hand, dragging him back to the shadow they stood in once again. Hadn't he just been here, not terribly long ago? It had been a few months, surely, since their last dive into the place they knew so well. Now that he thought of it, it had been at least four months, things had been relatively calm for the last two or three of those, considering nobody had tried to kill either of them in that time. He squeezed back but couldn't smile a real smile, only a tight-lipped grimace.

"Honestly, Draco, it's not even bad this time. Are you really afraid of people being nice to you? No wonder you had such issues as a child..." she stuck her tongue out for emphasis on her joke and then laughed. If nothing else, her laugh made him finally smile.

"That's what I'm looking for. Just remember, you don't have to talk about it. Just tell them 'it was nothing', smile, and don't ever let go of my hand."

He raised her hand to his face and kissed the back of it. "Never." The gesture made her blush, and the embarrassment made her pull him forth into the light to break tension. He was immediately aware of the wave of stillness that rippled through the crowd - he hated when things like that happened. When the faces surrounding them did not immediately move or change, Hermione dragged him even farther to Fortescue's to get ice cream. It was a swelteringly hot summer day, and it was also a good distraction. As they walked the whispers came first, then talking and such, and then activity returned to _mostly_ normal. Draco laughed at the observation - since that first night he'd run into Hermione nearly six months ago, when had anything been normal?

* * *

She had made him spend nearly four hours in Diagon Alley, and though he had been told he didn't need to answer questions, he felt obligated to. He'd watched his own mother die, by his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend's hand, while their best mate stood on and she and the ex's sister/best mate's wife were downstairs. It just _sounded_ like a disaster. He knew personally if he'd heard it as anyone else's story it would be confusing, interesting, tragic, and perhaps amusing. What had he gotten himself into?

But she made it all up in just a few moments, as they returned to his flat. Her things were all moved over now, she was finally living there, permanently. The house she'd shared with Ron was sold, and with the small amount of what she'd made off it she was able to pay everyone's medical bills, help Ron into a new apartment, and take the entire group of them out to Dinner. It was well spent. With what was left over from that, she'd also bought a few things she was in need of - practical clothes, robes for work, and undergarnments, half a set of which was being spectacularly displayed to Draco at the moment.

"We have dinner at eight with Harry and Ginny, I've already made reservations at that place we went to on our first date, you'll pick up the tab there and Harry will insist on paying for drinks when we go out afterwards. I figure his tab will be just as high as ours. It's a night to celebrate, after all." She smiled at him and winked, and he was done for. He'd been waiting to surprise her for nearly the entire week since she'd recovered and been allowed to return home, as he was waiting for her to stop looking so fragile and everything. This was, he told himself, an appropriate time.

She was just going to shower, she'd said, but he intended on changing those plans immediately. He watched her for a moment more as she wiggled out of her jeans and stretched her arms high above her head with a slight yawn. Her figure, all stretched out like that, was all he needed, and in an instant he was through the bathroom door and standing just behind her. She let out a yelp but hushed herself as he circled his arms around her middle, planting kisses down the top of her spine. She was most sensitive here, he knew, and as soon as he heard a low moan escape her, he knew she had been waiting for this too. He carried her back to the bedroom and dropped her, laughing, onto the mattress. She grabbed her wand from the side table and magicked away his clothing before he could realize it, sticking out her tongue and tossing the wand aside before he climbed on top of her, laughing but seriously turned on...

* * *

They were in the same booth as they'd been in on their first date, and it was worth the extra ten minute wait. They'd only started referring to it as their first date as of lately, but they had both been considering it that for months. They were hopeless from the beginning. It was beautiful. As usual, the paparazzi swarmed, muggle and magical. The only was to discern either set was a drastic difference in skill of choosing muggle clothes for the evening. As the night wore on, the little group had made a game of it - muggle or magic? - and it had at times sent them into such fits of laughter that Draco had nearly spewed his wine all over the table in front of him. It wasn't a particularly special dinner, or special night, as it had been months since the drama had all unfolded, but each night was filled with magic all the same - Hermione had never been this ecstatic, so absolutely and deliriously happy.

"Here's what I love most, I think." Ginny had had slightly more wine than the rest of them, and her curiously funny commentary was highlighting the entire evening. The others turned to look at her with hopeful grins, she'd already caused side-splitting laugher twice before.

"So, not only did we all hate you, in school, but you were basically our biggest enemy, am I right? Besides the big one himself, but he was out of the vicinity, thank gods. Anyway, here's something I remember from, what, your third year? I think it was that. Can you honestly look at each other now and not remember that Hermione punched you in the face, Draco? She didn't just slap you, oh no, Hermione knocked you one harder than I've ever even seen my _brothers_ fight. Even the oldest ones. How do you make love at night without laughing about that?"

They roared into laughter once again, Ginny had made a comment so absurdly hilarious and absolutely awkward at the same time that Hermione didn't know which to feel, she only laughed until she realized she was the only one left laughing, and Draco put his arm around her, gave an affectionate shake, and spoke.

"She's a fighter, my Hermione. I didn't go to the Hospital Wing for the bruise, either, it lasted at least a week and a half, I made Crabbe and Goyle keep it quiet and I told the rest of them I'd gotten into a fight with a sixth year."

Harry and Ginny laughed, and Draco took the opportunity to lean over and whisper to Hermione that she would be 'punished' later for being such a bad girl. She giggled and gave him a sidelong glance before turning to kiss his cheek. She'd nearly forgotten about hitting him, to be honest, but now that his intentions in punishment were surely and wonderfully sexual, she couldn't be happier that Ginny had brought it up.

* * *

Hermione helped Ron paint the walls in his new flat. He'd wanted to do it by magic, but his magic was still sloppy and that in combination with paint was not good. She insisted that she help him do it the muggle way, and that it would give them time spend together and talk.

Despite the anger and bitter resentment she still felt when she thought about Ron's affair, she couldn't help but think that it had all worked out for the best. Their marriage had gotten stale after just a few years, and in the long run she had ended up with Draco, and she was thankful for it every day. Also, she couldn't help but still hold thanks to him for saving her life and everything. He did have that going for him, and she was instantly reminded to talk to him about it when they were waiting for paint to dry.

"Ron, I know I've said it before, but I really want to thank you for what happened at the manor. Both times."

"Honestly, Hermione, it wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't even get to help, the first time."

"Well you more than made up for it the second time. And as a matter of fact, you did help the first time. When I was being tortured... I heard all the nasty, terrible things Bellatrix was saying, and I was avoiding her questions, and I was in more pain then than I had ever been... but I heard you."

"You did?"

"I didn't think I would have. The walls are thick, but you were apparently loud enough. I heard you, screaming my name, over and over. And I thought of you down there, waiting for me when I got out. Not even in a romantic way, though of course it was close at the time anyway. I just kept thinking, _everyone is down there. They'll save me, somehow. We're going to make it out alive. There's Ron again._ And sure enough, we're still here. Painting your sitting room."

"It's a nice sitting room, I think. And a nice choice of color." The pair sat silently, cross legged and resting back on their hands. Ron fidgeted before speaking again. "You honestly shouldn't be thanking me, though. Saving you was the least I could do, after everything I did."

"I was just thinking though, it all turned out for the better, I think. We weren't happy anymore. That wasn't what a marriage should be like."

"I suppose. I just guess that 14 year old stuck inside me still wishes we were moving into this place together."

"And the 14 year old in me is shaking her head at the 14 year old you, as usual." They laughed until they couldn't breat and laid back against the carpet, side by side.

"I want us to be more than awkward acquaintances, after everything we've been through. You know that, right?" She looked him in the eye and he nodded.

"We weren't meant to be together, but at the very least, I want my best friend back." She rolled over and put an arm over him, curling into his side for a moment. She remembered what it felt like to love Ron Weasley, even if now it was nothing more than friendly. And the last two days of seeing all of her best friends had been tiring, to say the least.

"I'll help you with the second coat tomorrow. As for now, I'm exhausted and Draco's off work. I'll be by in the morning?"

"You'll have to wake me up, if you plan on getting here before noon."

She laughed and nodded, and with a crack she apparated home.

* * *

Draco was nervous all through Dinner. It was very apparent that he had something to tell Hermione, but that he wasn't telling her what it was at all.

"Draco, are you sure you're alright?"

He looked up at her and grinned. "Of course I'm alright. I'm brilliant. I'll tell you something later, after we relax for a while. It's nothing bad, don't worry. Quite wonderful, actually. And dinner is wonderful as well, thanks to you, my love."

He was happy and nervous to the point of being giddy. This still made her nervous, until he lifted her hand from around the corner of the table and kissed it at least ten times, making her laugh. When the plates were cleared and they'd finished catching the last half of a comedy on TV, Draco pulled Hermione into his lap.

"I've been filming lately for the new movie, you know that. And we've gotten most of the in-studio bits done, so it's time to do the things we're doing everywhere else."

"I see, and where might you be going now?"

"Dear, it's where _we_ are going. I've been allowed to bring you along on all three parts, a few days each at most. Locations in Europe, mostly, but also a few days in Australia."

"Oh that's wonderful, I'd love to go! I'm assuming you've already set everything straight with my supervisors..."

"Do you expect anything less?"

"Draco Malfoy, you are the only individual I know that does anything more thoroughly than myself. And you're absolutely amazing, as well." She bent her head in to kiss him, and he felt a smile creep across his face as she did so. It was comments like this that made life good, he thought. And the woman from which they came from: the same witty bookworm from their youth, the same apprehensive woman he'd run intil eight months ago, that made life amazing.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Here's that last chapter I've been dreading! It's a decent length, though kind of short I'm sad to say. This story has nowhere else to go, and it has a happy ending, you'll see it plain and clear in the epilogue that'll be up soon. I don't know what else to say. I don't want to end this story, but it's ending itself. *Sniff* Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**Draco Malfoy immediately remembered that he didn't like muggle airplanes. On the way over, they'd used a Portkey, as he and Hermione had left three days earlier than the muggle cast and crew to explore bits of Paris before they were dragged out to the most barren parts of the French countryside to film a particular scene. She'd always loved the idea of visiting Paris, seeing the Eiffel Tower, eating authentic French cuisine, and Draco had made more than enough time on this surprise trip for her to do so. It was the least he could do, to make up for what the last member of his immediate family had done to her over the past week, and just to help her relax. Her tense nerves were nearly famous, but were nothing compared to what he was feeling when the voice popped on the noisy little speaker thing above his head.

"_Good evening, passengers. This is your captain speaking. The current local time is seven thirty-five pm, we'll be reaching our destination of London, England around eight forty-five local time, given the change in time zones. Please fasten your seatbelt and keep your trays in the upright position until you have been told otherwise. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy your flight..." _

His hand involuntarily tightened on the end of the pathetic armrest that separated him from Hermione. She seemed to have closed her eyes and nearly drifted off to sleep, but as her hand slid over on top of his, working her fingers in between each of his, he realized she must have peeked while his own eyes were closed. Did it matter to him? Not at all. Just her touch had settled his heartbeat dramatically. She looked more like herself than he'd seen her the whole trip, due to the fact that they remembered, just a day before takeoff, that in the muggle world she was still Valentina - she was still a first class model. They quickly repacked her bag, shopped for what they were missing, and he briefed her once again on what it was that significant others of actors did on set - sat around, ate the food, and spent time with each other when their person wasn't in a scene. In Draco's case that was exactly, oh, never. She'd spent most of the first two days on set figuring out how to operate the new mobile that Draco had gotten her as a gift. As a matter of fact, he smiled. He'd distracted her so thoroughly with gifts, filming, side trips, and more gifts, that she'd barely spoken of her harrowing experience at Malfoy Manor. There was one point that she had, however, while they were lying in bed at a hotel in Vienna.

_"I just remembered the first time, over and over. It wasn't... I wasn't scared. Ginny was terrified, but while I was conscious, all I could think of was that you were coming for me. That you had to figure it out. That we weren't going to die there, not after I'd escaped before." _

_"I finally figured it out when Ginny didn't apparate back. There are only a few places I know of that can do that..."_

_"And as your mother had no access to Hogwarts... good thinking." She squeezed his hand and he nodded. _

_"I thought so, too. Did she... hurt you?"_

_"She hit me with Crucio once. And then she just stupefied me. I saw it coming, but I almost thought that it was better to experience the ordeal unconscious than have to lie awake and wait for hours. It took you no time at all, from my perspective."_

_"Ginny told Harry it seemed like years. She was there at least six hours before we got there, but when did my mother switch you with herself?" _

_"It wasn't even her, after all. She'd had one of her friends do it - one of her and your father's old friends, I should say." _

_"Interesting. She put way too much thought behind this."_

_"When you're attempting to polyjuice yourself into someone else, you should definitely make sure you've followed all the necessary precautions. Trust me. Our second year..." _

_She shut her mouth and blushed. Draco chose not to ask any questions. When it came to adventures of the Golden Trio, he decided not asking questions and getting interesting answers was the best idea. _

They were finally leaving Europe, and he was surprisingly glad for it. The filming schedule had worked itself out in such a way that he barely saw Hermione on days where he filmed at all. Dinners out with the rest of the cast were often awkward - despite her distraction, Hermione was still exhausted from the events of the days previous - and more than anything, they looked forward to spending their time together between dining and sleeping. Well, half of that time had been spent locking in various hotel rooms together, but it wasn't as if he was complaining. The past three weeks had been strenuous, to say the least. And as if it weren't enough that Draco was filiming from sun up to sun down, and that he was spending hours in a car being shuttled back and forth between filming locations, they'd gotten a letter from Kingsley Shacklebolt within the first few days. It was addressed to the both of them. Apparently, even the _ministry_ knew that the pair were inseperable. Figured.

The plane began moving, and Draco's grip on the armrest tightened until Hermione rolled her eyes and peeled his hand from it. She held his hand firmly in her own.

"We're not going to die, _Dash_. We're safe now." And in that moment, he realized that they finally, finally were.

_**ooo**_

_Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, _

_Regarding the incident at Malfoy Manor just over a week ago, we have received a statement from Mr. Malfoy on the intentions and actions of Mr. Ronald Weasley and would like to notify you that he will be charged the very minimum. I've done the best I can to keep his sentence to a minimum, but he did use an unforgivable, and that is very clearly against our laws. He has been sentenced to two months in an alternative security prison in Scotland - his record as a war hero kept him from spending a year in Azkaban. After that he will be suspended from Auror work for one month, pending that he doesn't do anything ridiculous in that time, and per unusual request, he's asked that you both be his first - and only - visitors. I understand that Draco is away on business and that you've joined him, and he has been notified that the both of you will be visiting him nearly a month into his sentence. He doesn't seem to care. He wouldn't let Harry visit him, and he only allowed his mother to visit him when she insisted that she'd murder someone and join him if he didn't allow her. We know how Molly can get. Please respond as soon as possible so that I can get your clearance ready for a day or so after your return. I hope your trip is going well, and I hope you're both doing well. _

_Kingsley Shacklebolt  
Minister of Magic (I never get tired of writing that.)_

Hermione felt as if Kingsley's own voice had spoken to her - but Ron was in prison! She supposed the ministry couldn't let him off scratch-free for using an unforgivable, even under the circumstances, but she'd never imagined Ron being imprisoned anywhere. But why had he insisted that they be the only ones to visit him? She was about to find out - they'd just taken a Portkey to just outside the waiting room. Kingsley was waiting for them calmly, the sudden appearance of two people falling to the ground was something he was expecting. He folded his book closed around his index finger and gestured for them to follow him inside.

Once they'd finally gotten to Ron, Hermione realized that she barely recognized the man in front of her. He'd changed so much from who she'd known even a month ago that he was hardly the same person. There were slight worry lines on his pale skin, his hair had grown shaggy and he'd started growing facial hair with no apparent intent to tame it. The cells were simple - a bed, a covered loo, and a small desk in a pure white room, a shield charm keeping him inside. He was bouncing a small rubber ball against the wall opposite him, counting. When he stopped - one thousand, four hundred and seven bounces from whenever he'd started - he turned, looked at Draco and Hermione, and smiled.

"Look at you. Come to visit me. I'd hoped you would."

"Of course we would. Ron, you saved my life - and probably Draco's too." She sat on the ground just inches short of the charm and smiled back. "We landed yesterday. I figured they wouldn't let you off free..."

"If only I hadn't used that unforgivable, right? I've thought the same thing a few times." The roguish grin on his face was nearly humorous to the small group standing outside that knew him and watched on. "But I can't very well do anything about it now, can I?"

"I suppose not." Hermione looked near tears, and Draco reluctantly sat on the floor beside her.

"Ron, I gave my statement, I hope you know that."

"Oh yeah. Thanks again, Mal- er, Draco. Kingsley here let me hear it once or twice. Or five times. It's just kind of interesting to hear, you know? I was so blinded by worry and rage... I honestly don't even remember saying those two dastardly little words."

The room fell silent again. It was unlike Ron to be so bold, but they were near glad that he was. It would have been an even more awkward affair if he hadn't spoken much. Hermione heard footsteps to her left and squinted down the long hallway to see Molly, followed closely by someone with rather messy black hair. Ron would not be pleased with this, not at all.

"Don't freak out, but Harry's down the hall with your mother." Draco shook his head. _Leave it to Potter..._

Ron laughed - loudly. "I doubt they're here to see old Darius next to me, might as well say a little hello. I was intending on keeping visitors out so I could finally have a little alone time..." He stood, smoothing his hair down and shaking out his kinks before Molly came to, already crying.

"Oh, Ronald... I always assumed I'd see one of your brothers in here before you, but look at you. You need a shave, you look a bloody mess. And your shirt's all wrinkled!" The group laughed, though Molly simply jerked her head around the room. Hermione watched the older woman with affection - leave it to Molly Weasley to fuss about someone in prison, even for saving lives.

* * *

_(20 Months Later)_

Draco had been preparing the night for nearly a month. It had been 2 years since they'd begun 'dating'. _What exactly had caused that?_ he mused. He'd never understand where it was that he and Granger had stopped putting on a show for the press, and had started genuinely dating. It was irrelevant. The number of jokes that they and their mutual friends had pulled about the two of them and their disastrous first date on which they'd been caught by photographers was astronomical. And it hadn't taken terribly long for them to begin seeing each other seriously after that. Essentially, they'd been dating for a little over two years now. Hermione was finally completely unpacked from moving in, and much to his dismay, various muggle contraptions were now scattered throughout his flat. She made coffee each morning by hand, and a toaster that she liked pressing the lever on, and actual things for cooking - most of which she did without magic. He personally didn't know how she did it - it was hard enough for him to cook _with_ magic without burning the flat down, as they had almost experienced.

At eight sharp she emerged from the bedroom, looking as stunning as if she'd been done up by professionals. He'd have to make up what he was going to say on the spot. Hell, half of the plan had fallen through this morning anyway. Draco should have learned by now that when you're balancing two lives with a very strange and beautiful girlfriend, sometimes she got called into work on one side - or both.

Hermione had, at first, chosen to work exclusively on the wizarding side. She kept her job at St. Mungo's, took on another day, and spent her three free days a week with Draco or with friends. At first, she'd been satisfied, but unfortunately the muggle press wasn't satisfied with an outdated portfolio of modeling shots. She'd had to do a few more since the first set, and keeping up an appearance as a model was actually, in her words, 'fun'. Draco didn't know she knew the meaning of the word, sometimes. But he knew how she was. Instead, she was now working her previous three days at St. Mungo's and two a week doing things that would keep her profile up - shopping, taking photographs, seeing the sights,

"You really have gotten rather good at your... girl stuff."

"I'll take that as a compliment. And as I've had to do it nearly every other night for the last year, I think that's to be expected. Have Harry and Ginny arrived yet?"

"They owled to say they'd meet us there. Floo, or driving?"

"Driving, please. I don't want to fall and get soot on my dress."

He didn't want soot on the dress either.

While she drove, (she was much better at it than he was, they figured out) he replayed the events of the last two years in his head. They'd been wild - that was sure. But they had also been full of something Draco had thought he might never feel - an unbridled, completely uninhibited, uncontrollable, fantastic love for Hermione Granger. To say that the know-it-all from their younger years was gone would be an exaggeration. She wasn't gone, she still poked her head in at times when Draco was being foolish or overbearing. But it was strange to say that after all this time, he liked it.

After Ron was released, they began attending every Sunday Weasley dinner they could. At first, Draco had been hesitant - this was the family that, essentially, had lost Hermione. And he'd snatched her right up. But it was alright to have them around, and while he wouldn't say that they were like a family to him - they were the closest thing he had for now. _For now_. He was only 26, but his biological clock had been ticking as of late, and since there was a woman who had been sleeping in his bed every night since the first... his mind constantly wandered. Yes, he would be sullying the pureblood Malfoy line. Yes, he was ridiculously happy about it. He had no doubts in his mind, after the first year, that Hermione Granger was the one. His first marriage had failed horribly, and had shown him everything a marriage shouldn't be - and his relationship with Hermione was the opposite of that. It made sense, after all. He hadn't yet brought up the idea of that level of commitment with Hermione. She'd been a bit touchy on the subject of marriage since the first time she'd brought up Ron, and he'd usually left the subject alone. But now... time was ticking. Malfoy intended on at least having one heir, one descendant that would then bear him grandchildren in time...

"Draco? Are you going to get out of the car?" Hermione was already standing outside, bent slightly to speak to him. "We're a tad late. Let's hurry inside, I'm freezing."

Malfoy was startled by her voice and blankly turned to look at her. She was a vision in gold, and he thought then that he'd never admired her as much as he did in that moment. She was stunning, and on top of it all, she was his. Possibly forever.

* * *

**AN: I'm really glad I've decided to do an epilogue, because I really want to write just one more chapter of this fic! I may re-write it months or so down the line, but for now I'm happy with it, and you all seem to be as well. The epilogue will be up within a few days, I'm sure. I know exactly how it's going to end, this is the first time I've really REALLY planned out a chapter before I've written it. Anyway, I hope you all have enjoyed this as much as you say, I had a load of fun writing it and it really helped my process out a bit. If you enjoy my writing, do what you will, check out my other fics, etc. I see no harm in shameless self-promotion, so I'll tell you now that I've already posted the first chapter to my next Dramione, Ink and Blood. Also, The Eighth Year is STILL going on, still about nine chapters left and bound to be my longest. About to become more Dramione-focused, so I think that'll go over well. Thanks again! **


	20. Epilogue

**AN: Okay, I'm gonna cry. Not really. But a little bit. Maybe. I know I told you guys in the last chapter that it was the last one, and that this was going to be the epilogue. It's true. I'm really not enjoying the fact that this story is coming to a close, but it kind of has to. It's not even a long fic, really, but people really, really seemed to enjoy it. I loved writing it and I loved the concept. Believe you me, I'm coming up with a few crazy ideas for Dramione and Harmonie fics, so keep an eye out for them - in fact, I just posted like three new fics within the last week. When you're done here, you know, you could jump over and review a little ;) Okay, here is the epilogue, the final chapter, the sadness, the end of Take Two/Take Three. Sorry it's so short, it's really just a collection of little scenes that happen in their lives after everything. Enjoy!**

The biological clock was more than ticking - it was beating him over the head. It had been nearly a year since the idea had been planted in his head that he needed to bear an heir - and that he'd quite enjoy having a child. Hermione had made a passing mention about it more than a few times - it was clear between them that though dating for three years seemed short to other's standards, it was all the two of them needed to know that they'd end up together. Neither of them, of course, had intentions of getting married right away - with two messy divorces between them, the idea of marriage wasn't necessarily repulsive, but it was scary to be sure. They would marry - but not until necessary. Not until...

"Draco?" Hermione stepped out of the kitchen, smiling.

"D'you need help, darling?"

He saw the blush on her face and grinned. Even after all this time, it was ridiculously easy to charm Hermione Granger. "Not exactly, I was wondering if you'd moved the spatula again."

"I never moved the spatula. I don't cook with those things, you know that." She rolled her eyes and stepped back into the kitchen. As the saying went, he hated to see her go - but loved to watch her walk away.

To be truthful, they had spoken about their relationship, about waiting for marriage, but they hadn't yet spoken of children. He didn't have the nerve for that, yet - to suggest that they had a child out of wedlock. But when should he? Should he wait for her to say something? Should he say it first? He'd been thinking about it for a while, but now that they'd agreed that they would marry - later - it seemed an obvious next step, at their age. They were twenty-seven years old. Sure, they'd gotten a late start together, but they both had the idea that they'd_ stay_ together.

In that moment, Draco was driving himself mad. Why hadn't he just brought it up? What was the worst that could happen? She could say she wanted to wait. And waiting wasn't a problem - he'd wait forever, for her.

* * *

"Draco, it's time to go, we're going to be late." Hermione was pulling on her coat and frantically looking for her keys at the same time.

"I'll lock the door magically, don't worry about keys. I'm ready. I've _been_ ready."

She glared at him and he laughed. "Don't worry about it, 'Mione. They're not going to kill us for being a little late."

"We're already five minutes late! And we haven't left!"

"We're connected by floo. Honestly, it'll take a total of no time at all to get there."

Hermione marched to the fireplace and stood inside, and Draco waited behind, watching her stick out her tongue as she disappeared in a flash of flames.

* * *

"The premiere is in a few hours. What do you want to do in the mean time?" Hermione called out to him from the bathroom, her voice muffled by the closed door.

"Hermione, you know what I want to do in the mean time..."

The door cracked open and he saw just one of her eyes peeking through, a strand of hair beside it. "Draco. We don't have time for _that..."_

"You just said we have a few hours. And I was thinking something..."

She slipped through the door, a short silk robe pulled tight around her small frame. "And what is it that you were thinking?" She let the front fall open slightly, and he was nearly distracted from the topic of the conversation he was about to have...

"I think we should..."

"Should, what? I can think of a few things..." She was practically whispering in his ear now - he was attempting to be serious for once, and she was dirty talking him.

"I guarantee you, darling, we're not thinking of the same things." She backed off for a second, pulling the robe closed. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something, I admit this isn't the best time but if I don't say it now, I might never."

"We've talked about _that_ one, Draco. Really, I'm just not ready for marriage..."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about... maybe, a promise. I'd get you a ring, but you can wear it on your right hand. It'll mean something, but it won't mean marriage, yet. And I was thinking something else. We're nearly twenty-eight years old. My parents were much older than me, and it was almost inconvenient... I think that I want to have a child. Soon. While I'm young enough to, you know, keep up with it."

She stared at him and nearly laughed. "Let me get this straight. You want to have a baby? The man who loves his beauty sleep, his independence, wants to have a baby? You realize, you'll have to change diapers? And feed it? And hold it when it cries?"

He nodded, and moved to sit closer to her. "And I'll have to help you pick out clothes. And I'll have to be the one to figure out how to put the crib together..." he kissed her cheek "and I'll have to let it spit up on me sometimes..." he kissed her neck. "And most importantly, I'll have to subject my girlfriend to giving up her modeling career for a while..."

Hermione jerked back, stunned. "I'd forgotten about that. If you want a baby, obviously I'm having it I suppose, and I won't have to keep up the model thing... I can take a few months off at St. Mungo's... this could be brilliant, Draco."

"And our child will be - stunningly brilliant, and devilishly good looking."

"We're creating a monster."

"No, just a baby."

And with that, he laid her back on the bed, successfully creating an heir - but it wasn't just the son he was expecting.

* * *

"Twins? Like, two babies? And they're Malfoy's?" The buzz of the crowded restaurant around them was nearly enough to make Harry think he was hearing himself.

"Yes, Harry. We're having a baby - two babies. Trust me, more than one was not intentional, but as it happens... I don't know the sex of one yet, but I know one is a boy, Draco was adamant that he produce an heir. That's why all this is happening."

"And you're not getting married?"

"Perhaps after the children are born. When I can get back into my current dress size. We will - he's given me a promise ring." She flashed her right hand to Harry, who jumped. It wasn't a particularly large ring, she insisted on that - just a trio of diamonds in a nice setting.

"No wonder I didn't notice, it was on the wrong hand..." He stared for a second, stunned.

"But it's the right hand, for us. The perfect hand. This is just... how everything worked out."

"And are you happy with it?"

"Deliriously happy, Harry."

"That's all I ask. That's all I want."

"Draco told me I'm supposed to name the Godparents... I'd like you to be the godfather of my son."

"Of course, Hermione! That's the least I can do. What about the other baby?"

She twirled her straw through her soda and bit her lip. "I'm thinking about asking Ron."

The silence between them was almost consumed by background noise, but Harry nodded and smiled at once. "Yeah, you know? He might actually like that."

Harry was right. Ron loved it.

* * *

Dean Arthur and Tessa Ginevra were born into the world at three in the morning, and it was clear from the beginning that each child mirrored one of their parents. Tessa was quick to learn who Mom was, who Dad was, and that her brother was obnoxiously loud. Dean just learned to scream to get his way - and that his sister's quiet disposition would get her what she wanted in life. They were switched around, male to female, and yet Draco couldn't be happier.

"You, Dean... you're going to inherit everything. Of course, by the time I'm done spoiling Tessa, there might not be much left for you..."

He smiled back at her. "I'm so glad I talked you into this. I'm so glad there are two of them. Although, I admit it's going to take some work. And you know, we might need to hire help, or just convince a few friends for some help, but it shouldn't be too hard... I mean, my one concern is that they won't know their real grandparents, but I'm sure that Molly and Arthur will step in, regardless of the Ron thing... they seem to not hate me anymore. Do you think we should give them each a separate room, or put them in one until they're older? Obviously, the new house is going to need at least three bedrooms, but I'm thinking four or five will be nice, we'll have spares... can you decorate, at all? I'm rubbish at this kind of thing, and oh gods Dean just shat himself... but yes, we'll have to get a new house at once. Does that work for you?"

Hermione smiled in earnest at the man before her. She thought of the growth he'd made since their school days, since their first date, and hell, even since that morning. They weren't married, and they didn't necessarily have plans to do so any time soon - but since when had they ever done anything the traditional way?


End file.
